RETURN TO MOMBASA 



the prominent bolt was sufficient to make the breech fly open. 

 Nevertheless, I soon found that its shooting powers were 

 marvellous, and I was, from the first, particularly successful 

 with it against rhinoceroses, of which I killed several — mostly 

 with a single bullet each — during the remainder of this trip, 

 none of which ran more than a couple of hundred yards after 

 receiving the shot. 



Up to this time all my elephant and rhino shooting had 

 been done with my double .577. I had been laughed at by 

 many for starting on such a hunting trip with no larger rifle, 

 but I always was an advocate of small bores, and I am bound 

 to say that I believe I used fewer cartridges for the number of 

 elephants killed with this weapon than any other I have ever 

 tried. Since I got that rifle (a good many years ago) many 

 changes and improvements have been made, both in firearms 

 and ammunition ; I may say, however, — ^without presuming to 

 lay down any rule for others, — that my experience, with regard 

 to bullets, is decidedly in favour of solid, as compared with any 

 (what I should call) fancy projectiles. Steel cores or points 

 are unsatisfactory : the lead invariably strips in passing through 

 any bone — even a rib, — leaving the light steel with little re- 

 maining momentum. Of course you can kill game with almost 

 anything, when you get a favourable chance and make the 

 most of it. I remember a native in South Africa showing me 

 a rough, cylindrical piece of iron, of his own forging, with which 

 he had killed several head of game, including buffalo. It fitted 

 loosely into his gun — an old musket. 



In view of the conflicting opinions one meets with on the 

 subject of rhinos, perhaps the result of my observations may 

 be worth adding here, towards their explanation. I believe 

 that, as a general rule, the rhinoceros, like all wild animals, 

 runs away from man wlicn he can. Here and there an indi- 

 vidual may be met with, which, under certain circumstances, 

 will charge (and I think the circumstances have more to do 

 with it than the individual), apparently without cause. When 



