bullet driven by 6^drs. of powder through, or just 

 behind, the shoulder of the bull, he will most 

 certainly bag the latter, though he may, or may 

 not, have to give him another shot (or shots), 

 according to the organs which the first bullet may 

 have penetrated. And here let me recommend all 

 beginners on no account to fire at an animal, but 

 to carefully aim at an imaginary bull's-eye on the 

 very portion of its body which he may desire to 

 hit. 



A common impulse of most tyros is to fire at an 

 animal directly they see it, for fear that it should 

 bolt, and a miss, or a wound so badly placed that 

 the recipient escapes, is the usual result. In firing 

 with an express, I always, where it is practicable, sit 

 down before pressing the trigger. Great steadiness 

 can be obtained by sitting with the heels close 

 together, the knees well separated, and the elbows 

 resting one on each knee. But sometimes, in the 

 jungles, game visible on foot cannot be seen when 

 sitting, and in such an event the shot must be 

 taken standing. Coolness and absence of hurry 

 are the main essentials for steady shooting at big 

 game. It is preferable that no shot be fired than 

 that a wounded animal should escape. 



Far more game is missed, or wounded and lost, 

 through the sportsman's having fired too hurriedly, 

 without accuracy of aim, than escapes through any 

 want of quickness in firing. Let the novice bear 

 this carefully in mind. 



I cannot say that I should care to fire either 

 my 8-bore or 4-bore ball guns in the sitting position, 



76 



