80 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



him as lie lighted, why you might as well have 

 attempted to fly as do either. 



Of the arms most suitable for buffalo shooting from 

 horseback, I believe the old-fashioned, large-bore 

 duelling pistol the best. They are easily loaded while 

 on the gallop, for the butt can be placed between your 

 thigh and the flap of the saddle, and thus held. How- 

 ever, to save an occasional use of ramrods (and if your 

 bullet goes home tight, this cannot be avoided), and 

 for shooting with a depressed muzzle, they are absolutely 

 necessary. The breech-loader pistol, on the central 

 fire principle, must be excellent. For my part I used a 

 double-barrelled shot-gun, with the barrels reduced to 

 twenty-two inches in length. The stock, however, was 

 always inconvenient, particularly when loading while 

 the horse was going at speed. Small-bored arms are to 

 be avoided. The trappers and professional hunters use 

 them ; but the reason is that they require much less am- 

 munition than those of larger calibre ; and at the same 

 time, in killing fur-bearing animals, the pelt does not 

 become so much torn. A small bullet, when properly 

 placed, will do its work instantaneously; but deviation 

 of a few inches is so frequent in this, which may be 

 called snap shooting, that the more severe shock and 

 larger wound of the big projectile are eminently more 

 effective. 



