THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 



with my "500 express, loaded with extra long, solid 

 bullets, in reserve. I wounded and lost a number 

 with my 8-bore, and probably had I used a much 

 smaller weapon should have bagged more than I did. 



An 8-bore lacks the handiness of a lighter gun, 

 and does not possess the tremendous power of a 

 4-bore. 



If elephants never charged, probably a 12 or 

 i6-bore rifle would be the best weapon for use 

 upon them ; but it would not be anything like as 

 effectual in stopping a charge as is a heavy bullet 

 from' a larger bore. My 4-bore is a double-barrelled 

 gun, weighing a little over 18 Ibs., i.e., only about 

 3 Ibs. more than my old 8-bore rifle. It is accurate 

 at elephant-shooting range, and is a splendid 

 knocker-down ; in fact, a 4-bore bullet seldom fails 

 to floor a tusker, whether the latter be brained or 

 no ; and this is a great advantage, more particularly 

 in case of a charge. I use only ten drachms of 

 powder in it, but I believe this allowance to be 

 ample. The gun is hammerless, is fitted with 

 an anti-recoil heel pad, was built by Dixon, of 

 Edinburgh, and cost 4.2. 



I could not desire a better weapon for elephant 

 shooting than the above. Of course I took it in 

 hand only when close to the game. 



One caution I must give beginners regarding 

 8-bores and 4-bores, and that is to get into the 

 habit of invariably firing the left barrel first. All 

 the heavy guns which I have had would, if the 

 right trigger (i.e., the trigger of the right barrel) 

 were first pulled, frequently let off both barrels 



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