i74 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER ch. 
others with identically the same shots from a 
* 577 - 
When using double-barrelled rifles against big 
and dangerous game, it is of supreme importance to 
have a thoroughly reliable ejecting mechanism, and 
I find that a single trigger is avast improvement on 
the old double-trigger, for, apart from eliminating 
the risk of a bruised finger, the single trigger is 
infinitely quicker, enabling a double shot to be 
placed almost simultaneously, if necessary. I have 
used the single trigger for some years and would on 
no account go back to the double. Another factor 
to be considered with regard to a rifle for big game 
is the length of the barrels. It is my opinion that 
they should be as short as possible, certainly not 
longer than twenty-six inches; for a rifle with 
barrels exceeding this length is extremely awkward 
to manipulate in bush country. The double- 
barrelled *577 which I have used for several years 
and found admirable in every detail was built for me 
by Westley Richards & Co., of Bond Street. The 
construction of the locks is excellent and simple to 
a degree, so that should anything go wrong with the 
mechanism in the bush, where you cannot take a taxi 
to your gunmaker, there is no difficulty in instantly 
detaching a lock by hand and replacing it with a 
duplicate. The single trigger and ejector attached 
to this rifle have on no occasion failed to act. 
