184 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



interested in my surroundings, I am not as careful 

 with my feet as I ought to be, and the rifle might 

 have been damaged by a fall. The big rifle 

 also, upon which I most relied, was so heavy 

 that to carry it for the eight or nine hours of each 

 day that I was marching or hunting would have 

 been a serious strain. The weather, especially 

 when we were at or near the Lorian, was hot, 

 as we were on the Equator and could not have 

 been very much above sea-level ; and, although 

 the sun in East Africa is not as powerful as the 

 sun in India, it is quite trying enough, and induces 

 a very intense thirst. I therefore drilled Saasita 

 to walk one pace in front of me, among trees, or 

 in high grass, with the '450 rifle on his shoulder 

 held muzzle forward, and gave the '350, with the 

 telescope sighted to 200 yards, to Tagarru. I 

 have always been able to shoot very much better 

 from a standing position with a double-barrelled 

 than with a single-barrelled rifle ; and I accordingly 

 used the "450 for any quick shot that offered at 

 close range, and used the '350 for long shots. 

 The cartridges for the two rifles I carried in 

 a belt round my own waist ; and, if we were 

 expecting to meet dangerous game, I of course 

 carried the big rifle myself. 



This arrangement worked very satisfactorily. 

 I may have missed one or two shots, but the 

 advantage of having my arms fresh and untired 

 when I did take the big rifle more than compen- 

 sated for this; and the rifle was in my hands 

 in a second or two after we sighted big game. 

 Saasita could not have run away without giving 

 me an opportunity of seizing the rifle ; and, 



