442 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL INDIA. 



has taken place in their construction, by the universal intro- 

 duction of breech-loading, and application of what has come 

 to be called the " Express " system. Eegarding breech-load- 

 ino- it is sufficient to say that by the universal consent of 

 sportsmen the use of the muzzle-loader is now confined to 

 exceedingly remote countries where the cartridge cases cannot 

 be carried. No part of India answers to this description, and 

 a muzzle-loader is now rarely seen there. The Express system 

 consists in the use of a short conical bullet, hollowed at the 

 point like a shell, but without any bursting charge, and pro- 

 pelled by a very great charge of powder in proportion to its 

 weight. The first result of this is that the bullet, striking 

 with extreme velocity, has its hollow point opened out by the 

 shock iuto the shape of a mushroom, or even, when the hollow 

 is very deep and the speed great, broken altogether into frag- 

 ments, which take different courses through the animal and 

 inflict a terrific wound. This complete breaking up of the 

 bullet has as yet been effected only with very small gauges, 

 not larger than the half inch (*500) diameter ; but projectiles 

 of even this size have been found to be amply sufficient to kill 

 effectually all animals of the deer class, and hardly any other 

 description of rifle is now used for that purpose. 



Their only serious disadvantage is the smallness of the hole 

 they make on entering, while they rarely pass through an 

 animal of any considerable size, rendering the work of track- 

 ing, should the animal leave the spot, a matter of some diffi- 

 culty. I have found that generally a deer struck by the 

 Express bullet, even in the lungs, will rjm from fifty to a hun- 

 dred yards before falling. It is then generally stone dead, 

 having bled internally. But very often there will not be the 

 slightest mark of blood on the track. The very first two shots 

 I ever fired with an Express were remarkable illustrations 



