the land of footprints-第56节

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le　very　thoroughly　for　accuracy。　In　spite　of　careful　cleaning　the　barrel　was　in　several　places　slightly　corroded。　For　this　the　climate　was　responsible。　The　few　small　pittings；　however；　did　not　seem　in　any　way　to　have　affected　the　accuracy；　as　the　rifle　shot　the　following　groups：　3…1/2　inches　at　200　yards；　7…1/4　inches　at　300　yards；　and　11…1/2　inches　at　500　yards。*

*It　shot　one　five…shot　1…2/3　inch　group　at　200　yds。；　and　several　others　at　all　distances　less　than　the　figures　given；　but　I　am　convinced　these　must　have　been　largely　accidental。


These　groups　were　not　made　from　a　machine　rest；　however；　as　none　was　available。　The　complete　record　with　this　arm　for　my　whole　stay　in　Africa　was　307　hits　out　of　395　cartridges　fired；　representing　185　head　of　game　killed。　Most　of　this　shooting　was　for　meat　and　represented　also　all　sorts　of　〃varmints〃　as　well。

The　405　Winchester。　This　weapon　was　sighted　like　the　Springfield；　and　was　constantly　in　the　field　as　my　second　gun。　For　lions　it　could　not　be　beaten；　as　it　was　very　accurate；　delivered　a　hard　blow；　and　held　five　cartridges。　Beyond　125　to　150　yards　one　had　to　begin　to　guess　at　distance；　so　for　ordinary　shooting　I　preferred　the　Springfield。　In　thick　brush　country；　however；　where　one　was　likely　to　come　suddenly　on　rhinoceroes；　but　where　one　wanted　to　be　ready　always　for　desirable　smaller　game；　the　Winchester　was　just　the　thing。　It　was　short；　handy；　and　reliable。　One　experience　with　a　zebra　300…350　yards　has　made　me　question　whether　at　long　（hunting）　ranges　the　remaining　velocity　of　the　big　blunt　nosed　bullet　is　not　seriously　reduced；　but　as　to　that　I　have　not　enough　data　for　a　final　conclusion。　I　have　no　doubt；　however；　that　at　such　ranges；　and　beyond；　the　little　Springfield　has　more　shocking　power。　Of　course　at　closer　ranges　the　Winchester　is　by　far　the　more　powerful。　I　killed　one　rhinoceros　with　the　405；　one　buffalo　and　one　hippo；　but　should　consider　it　too　light　for　an　emergency　gun　against　the　larger　dangerous　animals；　such　as　buffalo　and　rhinoceros。　If　one　has　time　for　extreme　accuracy；　and　can　pick　the　shot；　it　is　plenty　big；　but　I　refer　now　to　close　quarters　in　a　hurry。　I　had　no　trouble　whatever　with　the　mechanism　of　this　arm；　nor　have　I　ever　had　trouble　with　any　of　the　lever　actions；　although　I　have　used　them　for　many　years。　As　regards　speed　of　fire　the　controversy　between　the　lever　and　bolt　action　advocates　seems　to　me　foolish　in　the　extreme。　Either　action　can　be　fired　faster　than　it　should　be　fired　in　the　presence　of　game。　It　is　my　belief　that　any　man；　no　matter　how　practised　or　how　cool；　can　stampede　himself　beyond　his　best　accuracy　by　pumping　out　his　shots　too　rapidly。　This　is　especially　true　in　the　face　of　charging　dangerous　game。　So　firmly　do　I　believe　this　that　I　generally　take　the　rifle　from　my　shoulder　between　each　shot。　Even　aimed　rapid　fire　is　of　no　great　value　as　compared　with　better　aimed　slower　fire。　The　first　bullet　delivers　to　an　animal's　nervous　system　about　all　the　shock　it　can　absorb。　If　the　beast　is　not　thereby　knocked　down　and　held　down；　subsequent　shots　can　accomplish　that　desirable　result　only　by　reaching　a　vital　spot　or　by　tearing　tissue。　As　an　example　of　this　I　might　instance　a　waterbuck　into　which　I　saw　my　companion　empty　five　heavy　465　and　double　500　bullets　from　cordite　rifles　before　it　fell！　Thus　if　the　game　gets　to　its　feet　after　the　first　shock；　it　is　true　that　the　hunter　will　often　empty　into　it　six　or　seven　more　bullets　without　apparent　result；　unless　he　aims　carefully　for　a　centrally　vital　point。　It　follows　that　therefore　a　second　shot　aimed　with　enough　care　to　land　it　in　that　point　is　worth　a　lot　more　than　a　half　dozen　delivered　in　three　or　four　seconds　with　only　the　accuracy　necessary　to　group　decently　at　very　short　range；　even　if　all　of　them　hit　the　beast。　I　am　perfectly　aware　that　this　view　will　probably　be　disputed；　but　it　is　the　result　of　considerable　experience；　close　observation　and　real　interest　in　the　game。　The　whole　record　of　the　Winchester　was　56　hits　out　of　70　cartridges　fired；　representing　27　head　of　game。

The　465　Holland　&　Holland　double　cordite　rifle。　This　beautiful　weapon；　built　and　balanced　like　a　fine　hammerless　shotgun；　was　fitted　with　open　sights。　It　was　of　course　essentially　a　close　range　emergency　gun；　but　was　capable　of　accurate　work　at　a　distance。　I　killed　one　buffalo　dead　with　it；　across　a　wide　canyon；　with　the　300…yard　leaf　up　on　the　back　sight。　Its　game　list　however　was　limited　to　rhinoceroses；　hippopotamuses；　buffaloes　and　crocodiles。　The　recoil　in　spite　of　its　weight　of　twelve　and　one　half　pounds；　was　tremendous；　but　unnoticeable　when　I　was　shooting　at　any　of　these　brutes。　Its　total　record　was　31　cartridges　fired　with　29　hits　representing　13　head　of　game。

The　conditions　militating　against　marksmanship　are　often　severe。　Hard　work　in　the　tropics　is　not　the　most　steadying　regime　in　the　world；　and　outside　a　man's　nerves；　he　is　often　bothered　by　queer　lights；　and　the　effects　of　the　mirage　that　swirls　from　the　sun…heated　plain。　The　ranges；　too；　are　rather　long。　I　took　the　trouble　to　pace　out　about　every　kill；　and　find　that　antelope　in　the　plains　averaged　245　yards；　with　a　maximum　of　638　yards；　while　antelope　in　covered　country　averaged　148　yards；　with　a　maximum　of　311。



APPENDIX　IV。　THE　AMERICAN　IN　AFRICA

IN　WHICH　HE　APPEARS　AS　DIFFERENT　FROM　THE　ENGLISHMAN

It　is　always　interesting　to　play　the　other　fellow's　game　his　way；　and　then；　in　light　of　experience；　to　see　wherein　our　way　and　his　way　modify　each　other。

The　above　proposition　here　refers　to　camping。　We　do　considerable　of　it　in　our　country；　especially　in　our　North　and　West。　After　we　have　been　at　it　for　some　time；　we　evolve　a　method　of　our　own。　The　basis　of　that　method　is　to　do　without；　to　GO　LIGHT。　At　first　even　the　best　of　us　will　carry　too　much　plunder；　but　ten　years　of　philosophy　and　rainstorms；　trails　and　trials；　will　bring　us　to　an　irreducible　minimum。　A　party　of　three　will　get　along　with　two　pack　horses；　say；　or；　on　a　harder　trip；　each　will　carry　the　necessities　on　his　own　back。　To　take　just　as　little　as　is　consistent　with　comfort　is　to　play　the　game　skilfully。　Any　article　must　pay　in　use　for　its　transportation。

With　this　ideal　deeply　ingrained　by　the　test　of　experience；　the　American　camper　is　appalled　by　the　caravan　his　British　cousins　consider　necessary　for　a　trip　into　the　African　back　country。　His　said　cousin　has；　perhaps；　very　kindly　offered　to　have　his　outfit　ready　for　him　when　he　arrives。　He　does　arrive　to　find　from　one　hundred　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　men　gathered　as　his　personal　attendants。

〃Great　Scot！〃　he　cries；　〃I　want　to　go　camping；　I　don't　want　to　invade　anybody's　territory。　Why　the　army？〃

He　discovers　that　these　are　porters；　to　carry　his　effects。

〃What　effects？〃　he　demands；　bewildered。　As　far　as　he　knows；　he　has　two　guns；　some　ammunition；　and　a　black　tin　box；　bought　in　London；　and　half…filled　with　extra　clothes；　a　few　medicines；　a　thermometer；　and　some　little　personal　knick…knacks。　He　has　been　wondering　what　else　he　is　going　to　put　in　to　keep　things　from　rattling　about。　Of　course　he　expected　besides　these　to　take　along　a　little　plain　grub；　and　some　blankets；　and　a　frying　pan　and　kettle　or　so。

The　English　friend　has　known　several　Americans；　so　he　explains　patiently。

〃I　know　this　seems　foolish　to　you；〃　he　says；　〃but　you　must　remember　you　are　under　the　equator　and　you　must　do　things　differently　here。　As　long　as　you　keep　fit　you　are　safe；　but　if　you　get　run　down　a　bit　you'll　go。　You've　got　to　do　yourself　well；　down　here；　rather　better　than　you　have　to　in　any　other　climate。　You　need　all　the　comfort　you　can　get；　and　you　want　to　save　yourself　all　you　can。〃

This　has　a　reasonable　sound　and　the　American　does　not　yet　know　the　game。　Recovering　from　his　first　shock；　he　begins　to　look　things　over。　There　is　a　double　tent；　folding　camp　chair；　folding　easy　chair；　folding　table；　wash　basin；　bath　tub；　cot；　mosquito　curtains；　clothes　hangers；　there　are　oil　lanterns；　oil　carriers；　two　loads　of　mysterious　cooking　utensils　and　cook　camp　stuff；　there　is　an　open　fly；　which　his　friend　explains　is　his　dining　tent；　and　there　are　from　a　dozen　to　twenty　boxes　standing　in　a　row；　each　with　its　padlock。　〃I　didn't　go　in　for　luxury；〃　apologizes　the　English　friend。　〃Of　course　we　can　easily　add　anything　you　want　but　I　remember　you　wrote　me　that　you　wanted　to　travel　light。〃

〃What　are　those？〃　our　American　inquires；　pointing　to　the　locked　boxes。

He　learns　that　they　are　chop　boxes；　containing　food　and　supplies。　At　this　he　rises　on　his　hind　legs　and　paws　the　air。

〃Food！〃　he　shrieks。　〃Why；　man　alive；　I'm　alone；　and　I　am　only　going　to　be　out　three　months！　I　can　carry　all　I'll　ever　eat　in　three　months　in　one　of　those　boxes。〃

But　the　Englishman　patiently　explains。　You　cannot　live　on　〃bacon　and　beans〃　in　this　country；　so　to　speak。　You　must　do　yourself　rather　well；　you　know；　to　keep　in　condition。　And　you　cannot　pack　food　in　bags；　it　must　be　tinned。　And　then；　of　course；　such　things　as　your　sparklet　siphons　and　lime　juice　require　careful　packing…and　your　champagne。

〃Champagne；〃　breathes　the　American　in　awestricken　tones。

〃Exactly；　dear　boy；　an　absolute　necessity。　After　a　touch　of　sun　there's　nothing　picks　you　up　better　than　a　mouthful　of　fizz。