Death of Mr. George Grey. 91 



Centuries back, when the ancestors of Britons lived in caves 

 and huts, what terror must have been theirs at times at 

 least, so some people believe ; although I do not. For I 

 imagine their nerves were dull and blunt like the nerves of- 

 the blacks of Africa, and they did not feel terror untL 

 danger was actually present. 



African natives seldom dread peril until it is on them, as 

 their minds are not sensitive, neither are their nerves so 

 highly strung as those of the more civilised whites. Certainly 

 the superstition that enwrapped the minds of early Britons 

 must have always been a menace to them, just as the natives 

 of Africa and other countries suffer to day. Unseen and 

 imaginary fears often envelop them, and take away all 

 power of reason or logical thought. 



One of the saddest accidents to a white sportsman that 

 has occurred for many years was that which befell the late 

 Mr. George Grey, who was killed in British East Africa by a 

 lion he had wounded. It charged, and he failed to stop it 

 with a '256 Magnum rifle, although I believe it was hit 

 several times. 



I certainly believe that had he been using a stronger 

 rifle, such as -350 or '450, with heavy, blunt, expanding 

 bullets, that he would not have been killed. Even a 

 7*9 mm. Mauser would have been an infinitely better rifle 

 than the '256, with its tremendous velocity and sharp, light 

 bullet, which is most likely to fly to bits on striking hard 

 substances. Further, at such a short distance the bullet is 

 all the more liable to break up, and these modern ultra 

 high-velocity rifles, with their light bullets, are simply a 

 repetition of the old Express '45o's, with their useless 

 projectiles. 



Mr. George Grey was known and liked all over Africa 

 and in the Matabele Rebellion he did some splendid work. 

 I think his action of going round by himself and warning 

 the Colonists of danger from the natives was one of the 

 finest deeds in African history. 



Then he raised a corps which was named after him as 

 " Grey's Scouts," and this band took a prominent place in 



