194 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



side on, as it penetrates well into the vitals 

 before bursting up, the nickel base carrying on. 

 It is also an ideal bullet on tiger, bear, sambur 

 and other large deer. I prefer it to the solid 

 nickel for shoulder shots at bison or tsaing, as 

 the solid nickel striking an animal broadside on 

 always passes clean through it, and though he may 

 not go far, it does not give quite the same shock 

 as the soft-nose, which remains in the body. 

 My practice is to load the right barrel with a 

 soft-nosed bullet and the left with a solid nickel. 

 If I get a shoulder shot, I fire the right barrel ; 

 but if the beast is end on to me — which end does 

 not signify — I give him the solid nickel bullet, 

 which rakes him from end to end. In all cases 

 of a doubtful shot, through undergrowth, for 

 instance, where the exact spot I wish to strike 

 cannot be determined, or where the bullet may 

 have to cut its way through intervening bamboos, 

 I fire the left barrel. For elephants, of course, 

 only the solid nickel bullet is used in both barrels. 

 Now, I hope the reader won't run away with the 

 idea that because I happen to possess a light 

 rifle I feel bound to crack it up. On the con- 

 trary, had I not thoroughly tested the rifle on 

 all kinds of big game, and under all sorts of 

 conditions, I should be most reluctant to urge 

 its adoption as against a heavier rifle of the 

 same type. But I have thoroughly proved, to 

 my own satisfaction at all events, that a '400- 



