186 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



how to be a good sportsman — as though one could 

 learn that from books ! 



All these tomes of wisdom were written for man by 

 man. I tried to follow out their often entirely opposite 

 advice, but after a while, being a woman and therefore 

 contrary, I "chucked" all systems and manufactured 

 rules for myself. I don't close either eye when I 

 shoot. I shoot with both open. In Cecily's case her 

 left is the most reliable, and she makes provision ac- 

 cordingly. Our present rifles were not fitted to our 

 shoulders. So far as I know, they would have done 

 nicely for any one's shoulder. Either we were making 

 the best of things, putting up with inconveniences 

 unknown to us, or else there is a frightful lot of rub- 

 bish written around a sportsman's battery. In spite 

 of any " advice " and " remarks " to the contrary, I 

 consider my 12-bore, with soft lead spherical bullets, 

 driven by 5J drams of powder, ideal for lion and all 

 more important, because dangerous, game. When one 

 did get a bullet in it stayed in, and there was no wast- 

 ing of its dreadness on the desert air. In reply to 

 remarks as to the undoubted superiority of this, that, 

 and the other rifle, &c, &c, &c, I merely answer 

 oracularly : " May be." 



" This, General," an American hostess once remarked 

 to General Sheridan, who was busily manipulating an 

 ordinary fork at the commencement of a banquet, 

 " this is the oyster fork." 



"D n it, madam," answered the General, "I 



know it ! " 



