THE RIFLE. 303 



a criterion to judge of sport, the palm must be 

 awarded to elephant-shooting. It holds high rank 

 where the lion and the tiger are not found. " Ele- 

 phant-shooting," says Major Forbes, " in excit- 

 ing interest, as far exceeds any other sport in 

 Ceylon as does the animal itself, compared with 

 the lesser tenants of the forest." He adds, " A 

 sportsman fairly equipped for elephant shooting, 

 ought to have at least four barrels, and the best 

 form of these would be two double-barrelled guns, 

 carrying balls of an ounce and a third in weight, 

 and of strength sufficient to take a large charge of 

 powder. I should prefer plain to rifle-barrels, as 

 they occupy less time in loading, which is some- 

 times of great consequence, and smooth barrels 

 carry balls with sufficient accuracy ; for shooting at 

 a distance is never successful in this sport, and it 

 is not advisable (if you have a choice) to fire until 

 you are within fifteen yards of the animal ; half 

 that distance is preferable, as then your shot if it 

 fails to kill will, in all probability, check him for 

 a sufficient time to allow of exchanging your gun 

 and hitting again."* A large ball is evidently a 

 favourite with the Major. He likewise bestows a 

 preference on the musket for elephant shooting, it 

 being sooner loaded. The mark being large, and 

 the distance of firing usually short, account for his 

 preference of the smooth bore in that sport. But 

 we apprehend there is no difference of opinion 

 amongst sportsmen, that a grooved barrel is the 



* Eleven Years in Ceylon, by Major Forbes. London, 1840. 



