MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES 311 



and unbroken, soaking it in very hot salt and 

 water two or three times in the course of the 

 evening will often lead to its absorption ; but if 

 the skin be broken, or upon the point of break- 

 ing, the best course is relentlessly to strip it off 

 and lay bare the flesh beneath. Upon this a 

 series of cold cloths soaked in a strong solution 

 of permanganate of potassium should be placed. 

 The effect of this rather severe treatment is to 

 produce a new if somewhat discoloured skin on 

 the tender part, which, with twenty-four hours' 

 rest, will usually admit of the resumption of the 

 journey. 



For cutting up game several hatchets and large 

 knives are required. In selecting these, highly 

 tempered steel is to be avoided, as the softer metal 

 is the easier to resharpen. The knives which I 

 usually employ for finishing off and skinning 

 antelopes are long-bladed cheap knives similar to 

 those used in the kitchen for cutting hams, sides 

 of bacon, and joints. They must be provided 

 with well-fitting leather sheaths, and carried daily 

 by the gun-bearers. Several pairs of scissors of 

 different sizes are of great use for all sorts of pur- 

 poses, whilst needles, buttons, and a supply of 

 good strong pack-thread must on no account be 

 omitted. 



For the collection of small nocturnal mammals 

 a few capable steel traps are useful. These on 

 being set should be secured by a yard or two of 

 strong brass chain well pegged down ; I find 

 brass better than steel, as it is rust-proof, and 

 cleaner. Care should be taken to see that they 



