The latter was purely an experiment, and did not prove
a success; for upon impact the lead invariably left the
steel core, the light weight of which prevented a sufficient
degree of penetration to prove effectual.
On the march, for the first year at least, 1 invariably
carried a Winchester— if on horseback, across my
saddle-bow; if on foot, across my shoulder. From
continued use, often under trying circumstances, I
came to have the greatest confidence in this weapon.
I had had my Winchesters sighted with the ordinary
express sight by Messrs. Holland & Holland; and it
is to this fact I in great measure attribute their accuracy
when used on running game. The ordinary Winchester
sight is very good when one has sufficient time
for taking aim, but with it I found great difficulty in
getting a bead upon an animal moving with rapidity
across the line of Vision.
On this trip George invariably carried a Mannlicher,
and from constant use acquired as great confidence in
it as I in my Winchester. It is undoubtedly a fact
that different rifles suit different men; but it is equally
true that any one can, by constant use, become accustomed
to a rifle of almost any pattern; so accustomed,
in fact, that he will think, after a time, that his choice
is the only weapon for him; and not only will he be
satisfied with it, but also, because perhaps of some
weakness in human nature, will become prejudiced
against all others.
It is impossible to lay down a fixed rule, and say
which rifle is the best for general use. There is such
a variety of weapons, that if one takes the slightest
pains, he can, by experiment, pitch upon the rifle which
best suits him ; and having found it, my advice is for
him to stick to it, and not be moved from his position
by theorists. A rifle which, on a shooting-ground in
Europe and from a rest, will do marvellous work
against a steel target, may, and most probably will,
under the changed conditions of shooting in the field,
particularly when such field is the tropical climate of
Africa, prove a most treacherous object upon which to
place reliance. A t least, this has been my experience.
Some military man has said : “ It is not more the
power or accuracy of the gun than the man behind
the gun, which achieves satisfactory results.”
Lieutenant von Hôhnel, in the early part of his
shooting experiences during this journey, used only
his express rifle. It was not until he almost by accident
discovered the accuracy and power of the Mannlicher
rifle, that he came to have confidence in that
weapon.. However, when once he had tried it, the
express rifle was laid aside.
During my stay in Africa I wrote a letter to the
London Field, stating what satisfactory results we had
achieved with both Winchester and Mannlicher, and
expressing our preference for these weapons over the
express. This letter provoked a vigorous, and, in some
cases, highly . amusing correspondence. One would
almost think that I had assailed the British Constitution,
so bitter were some writers against me; but
it was matter of extreme -gratification to me, upon my
return to Europe, to learn that the very gun-makers
most ardent in their condemnation of my views, were
turning out as many small-bore rifles as their workshops
could produce.