FIREARMS 285 



the more indispensable elements, I shall en- 

 deavour, from recollections of the occasions 

 when I myself wished that I had them, to in- 

 corporate a few remarks upon what 1 can only 

 refer to en masse as those precious Uttle things 

 which matter so much. 



The question of firearms leads one insensibly 

 to cast a backward glance at the astonishing 

 evolution of the modem arm which has taken 

 place within the recollection of contemporary 

 hunters. Writing as recently as 1890, Sir 

 Samuel Baker recommended to persons con- 

 templating a hunting expedition to Africa a 

 battery consisting of two double-barrelled 8-bore 

 rifles, firing a charge of 14 drams of black powder 

 and a three-ounce buUet of hardened metal. 

 One of these was to be the rifle for every-day use — 

 the sort of httle toy that the sportsman would 

 pick lightly up and tuck under his arm when he 

 went for a stroll whilst his meal was being got 

 ready ; but did he require an}^hing really 

 formidable, something capable of administering 

 a stfll greater shock, his attention was directed 

 to a single-barrelled rifle " weighing 22 lbs.," and 

 sighted most accurately to 400 yards. This 

 frightful weapon, designed to be fired if necessary 

 from a tripod, was built to carry a half-poimd 

 steel shell containing a bursting charge of half 

 an ovmce of fine grain powder, and the propelhng 

 charge was sixteen drams of black powder. 



Turning from these appalUng pieces of 

 ordnance of almost the other day, and glancing 

 through an illustrated catalogue of modern 



