DEAD WEIGHT 289 



the muzzle, and the backsight seven Inches 

 from the breech. They were thus twenty- 

 two inches apart. 



Being In Greece at the time, I enlisted the 

 services of a military armourer, and told him 

 to cut eight inches off the muzzle end of the 

 barrel. When this was done — and by the 

 way very well done — I made him replace 

 the sights, foresight as before one inch from 

 the muzzle, backsight two and a half Inches 

 from the breech. They were consequently 

 eighteen and a half Inches apart, and the 

 backsight was four and a half Inches nearer 

 the eye than before. I had given the 

 armourer half a dozen cartridges, with which 

 he reported that the altered rifle shot well ; 

 but subsequent experience showed me that 

 if he had tried it at all It must have been at 



an absurdly short range. I found some 

 19 



