JOURNAL 
Following the suggestion of a friend in Natal, who had 
been some distance into the interior from the east coast, 
we settled on Pieter-Maritzburg as our starting point, 
leaving our route beyond this to be guided by circum- 
stances and further advice. I also obtained a list of what 
we ought to take out from England from the same source, 
and fortunately his advice in this respect was sensible, 
and the list of articles short, and confined either to what 
we could not obtain in the Colony, or else what, from an 
economical point of view, it was desirable to take with us. 
First in importance were the rifles, as those only can be 
bought in the Colony which are inferior both in quality 
and finish to those of a good London make, owing to 
there being no demand for the first class and, therefore, 
more expensive weapons. 
If breech-loaders are to be used, the cases to fit the 
various bores should be taken also; the ordinary 12-bore 
cases can be generally got now in Cape Town and Natal, 
and sometimes other bores, but the shops are often out of 
them, and not to be depended on for any quantity ; and 
for such weapons as the Express or Martini rifle, it would 
be absolutely necessary to take cases. Also canvas or 
leather cases to fit each rifle, as, without this protection, 
the barrels are soon rusted from the perspiration of the 
Cafire bearers ; canvas is much better than india-rubber 
for this purpose, as it is almost waterproof and much more 
durable, the latter, when in constant use, soon wearing 
into holes. As to the sized bore, opinions vary so much 
upon this and other points, such as efiicacy of shells. 
