CHAPTER XIII 



RIFLES : AMMUNITION : CAMP EQUIPMENT : 

 GENERAL HINTS 



On a hunting expedition of whatsoever duration 

 the choice of suitable arms, ammunition, and 

 camp equipment must always be the chief factor 

 in the success or failure of the enterprise, and 

 although in other and more detailed works on 

 the subject than this can claim to be the subject 

 has been ably dealt with, improvements, never- 

 theless, succeed each other nowadays with such 

 rapidity that what is dernier cri to-day may 

 easily be outclassed to-morrow. 



Few persons who have not paid the price of 

 experience on one or more protracted African 

 journeys either of business or pleasure realise 

 the importance of the little things which mean 

 so much when one is far from the last centre 

 where they could have been procured ; and 

 certainly fewer still of those who have antici- 

 pated with satisfaction a period of unshaven, 

 uncoUared freedom, and the reputed joys of 

 " roughing it," would believe how seldom these 

 joys as such prolong themselves beyond the first 

 week or so, and how much more rarely after the 

 first sharp attack of fever. And so, in addition 



to descanting to the best of my knowledge upon 



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