CHAPTER V. 



THE RISKS OF BIG-GAME SHOOTING. 



The risks of big-game shooting Causes of accidents Men handicapped 

 formerly with inferior weapons Pluck of old hunters Killing powers 

 of modern weapons Selous's adventures Neumann injured by cow 

 elephant Captain C. H. Stigand's experiences with wild beasts 

 Sportsmen killed by elephants and buffaloes Mr. George Grey's death 

 A large bag of lions made by Mr. L. Tarlton Mr. George Garden 

 attacked and injured by an elephant Other deaths mentioned and 

 possible causes of accidents Buffaloes hard to stop Native woman 

 killed by lion near Zomba Lion tragedies Courage of some natives 

 Native ideas as to good killing rifles. 



MANY men have been killed or injured by wild animals, 

 and many more are likely to suffer in the same way so long 

 as they continue taking the risks inseparable from hunting 

 great game. 



There is a saying that if only a man keeps it up long 

 enough he is bound, sooner or later, to meet with mis- 

 fortune ; but if there were no risks, there would be no 

 excitement in it. 



Because a man is killed by a wild animal it does not 

 follow that he was inexperienced, as he probably did all 

 that a man could do, and yet suffered. His might be 

 looked on as an exceptional case which helps to prove the 

 rule, if any rule, in such an instance, can be laid down. 



An accident is usually due to one or other of the 

 following four causes, which I would put as follows : 



(1) Recklessness and contempt of danger. 



(2) Uncertain or long shots. 



(3) Inferior weapons with insufficient stopping power. 



(4) Ignorance of the game and its habits. 



Formerly men were very heavily handicapped by having 

 to use inferior weapons, for who can compare a single 



