Native Tools and Implements. 245 



with a top lever see that the gun closes with a sharp 

 metallic ring, without any hard grating or dull sound. 



On no account buy a new cheap hammerless gun. A 

 man would be far better with a good second-hand 

 hammer-gun, which probably cost 40 to 50 new, and 

 which can now be bought in London for a sum of from 12 



If one goes to a maker with a good name he can usually 

 be trusted to sell a sound weapon. The Field newspaper 

 always has advertisements from several good gunmakers 

 who sell second-hand guns and rifles, but it would be 

 invidious to mention names. Buyers should remember 

 that no really first-class London shotgun can be turned out 

 at less than 40 new. 



IV. NATIVE IMPLEMENTS, FOODS, PRICE OF 

 LABOUR, ETC. 



It is impossible to help noticing how expert the natives 

 are with their inferior implements, and, although their 

 work is, naturally, coarse and roughly finished, it serves 

 their purpose. Their soft iron axes are wonderful cutting 

 tools, and most of the natives are expert axemen. Some 

 of the African woods are so hard they would often splinter 

 European or American axes, which are usually made with 

 too high a temper, except for soft woods. 



The natives' adzes, too, are very useful articles, and a 

 great amount of work is executed with them. Their small 

 axe-heads are often used as an adze by being put in another 

 handle with a differently angled slot. 



Their knives, except those they buy at European stores, 

 are simply soft iron ; and often they use the soft hoop- 

 iron binding that is sent to this country round crates, 

 boxes, or bundles. It is roughly shaped, and one end is 

 bound with some bark string. With such a tool, used 

 something like a saw with both hands, they get through a 

 hippo hide like a grocer cutting cheese. 



