HINTS TO BEGINNERS 



the cartridge quite water-tight, but when paper 

 cases are taken out, further precautions against 

 damp are necessary. For some years I used an 

 8-bore rifle taking paper cases, and for its cartridges 

 I found the following devices very useful. Firstly, 

 I had a belt made with two leather cases (one to 

 come on each side of the body when the belt was 

 buckled on), each case consisting of four leather 

 stalls lined with tin cylinders, of exactly the size 

 into which an 8-bore cartridge will fit, a stout 

 leather flap covering the whole, and buttoning 

 below its top. 



Secondly, for carrying spare ammunition, I had 

 a magazine made on the principle of one of the 

 above cases, with this difference, that tin boxes 

 exactly holding six cartridges each, and so admitting 

 of no rattling, took the place of the tin cylinders 

 holding one cartridge apiece, but in lieu of four 

 cylinders, the magazine had but three, and the tin 

 covers of the boxes were also put on, and the 

 leather flap buttoned over the latter. 



I seldom put on the belt except when going up 

 to an elephant ; in which case, although I have 

 seen the men behave remarkably well when I 

 should not have expected it of them, I always 

 preferred to feel independent of extraneous assist- 

 ance, and to carry some cartridges on my person. 

 I had been so nearly killed by an elephant when 

 quite a beginner in big game shooting, owing to 

 my companion and all the men running away, and 

 taking with them my spare guns and ammunition, 

 that I preferred to have some cartridges at hand 



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