IV 
THE ELEPHANT 
129 
wounded, was maddened by the attack, and, charg¬ 
ing home, swept the unfortunate rider from his 
saddle and spitted him with her tusks. 
This year (1889) we have to lament the death of 
another fine specimen of our countrymen, the Hon. 
Guy Dawnay, who has been killed by a wild buffalo 
in East Africa. The exact particulars will never 
be ascertained, but it appears that he was following 
through thick jungle a wounded buffalo, which 
suddenly turned and was not stopped by the rifle. 
I cannot conceive anything more dangerous than 
the attack of such animals with an inferior weapon. 
Nothing is more common than the accounts of 
partially experienced beginners, who declare that 
the *450 bore is big enough for anything, because 
they have happened to kill a buffalo or rhinoceros 
by a shoulder shot with such an inferior rifle. If 
the animal had been facing them, it would have 
produced no effect whatever, except to intensify the 
charge by maddening the already infuriated animal. 
This is the real danger in the possession of what 
is called a “ handy small-bore,” when in wild countries 
abounding in dangerous game. You are almost 
certain to select for your daily companion the 
lightest and handiest rifle, in the same manner that 
you may use some favourite walking-stick which 
you instinctively select from the stand that is filled 
with a variety. 
All hunters of dangerous animals should accustom 
themselves to the use of large rifles, and never 
handle anything smaller than a *577, weighing 12 
VOL. I 
K 
