aning they have now become so
perfect that they load with the greatest ease; but guns of their age
are not fair samples of their class, and for rifles in general for
sporting purposes I should give a decided preference to the
many-groove. I have had a long two-ounce rifle of the latter class,
which I have shot with for many years, and it certainly is not so hard
a hitter as the two-grooved No. 10's; but it hits uncommonly hard, too;
and if I do not bag with it, it is always my fault, and no blame can be
attached to the rifle.

For heavy game-shooting, I do not think there can be a much fairer
standard for the charge of powder than one-fifth the weight of the ball
for all bores. Some persons do not use so much as this; but I am
always an advocate for strong guns and plenty of powder.

A heavy charge will reach the brain of an elephant, no matter in what
position he may stand, provided a proper angle is taken for attaining
it. A trifling amount of powder is sufficient, if the elephant offers
a front shot, or the temple at right angles, or the ear shot; but if a
man pretend to a knowledge of elephant-shooting, he should think of
nothing but the brain, and his knowledge of the anatomy of the
elephant's head should be such that he can direct a straight line to
this mark from any position. He then requires a rifle of such power
that the ball will crash through every obstacle along the course
directed. To effect this he must not be stingy of the powder.

I have frequently killed elephants by curious shots with the rifles in
this manner; but I once killed a bull elephant by one shot in the upper
jaw, which will at once exemplify the advantage of a powerful rifle in
taking the angle for the brain.

My friend Palliser and I were out shooting on the day previous, and we
had spent some hours in vainly endeavouring to track up a single bull
elephant. I forget what we bagged, but I recollect well that we were
unlucky in finding our legitimate game. That night at dinner we heard
elephants roaring in the Yalle river, upon the banks of which our tent
was pitched in fine open forest. For about an hour the roaring was
continued, apparently on both sides the river, and we immediately
surmised that our gentleman friend on our side of the stream was
answering the call of the ladies of some herd on the opposite bank. We
went to sleep with the intention of waking at dawn of day, and then
strolling quietly along with only two gun-bea