BOTH BARRELS AT ONCE. 109 hitherto been using) in my ten-bore rifle ; although this rifle was supposed to be made to shoot both, the locks were probably not strong enough, as the concussion caused by firing the right barrel was so great that the left one went off simply from the jar produced. The effect of firing from one's shoulder fourteen drachms of powder and a good six ounces of lead was by no means an agreeable experience ; and, had a buffalo charged me, I should have been in a decidedly awkward predicament. The recoil was so great, that it had fairly spun me round like a teetotum, and my hat had been sent flying. The conical bullets are far heavier than the spherical. Exactly the same accident happened to my brother Arthur's rifle a few days later, and from the same cause ; we decided that in future we would content ourselves with spherical bullets, although the rifle should certainly have been able to shoot both.

It was long after dark by the time we got back to camp, and we found all the others had returned before us. Lort Phillips and Colvin, who had been out together, had seen a good many buffaloes, but had not succeeded in bagging any. Salee, who had been with them, came across a rhinoceros in high grass, which was, however, of such extent and thickness, that it was impossible for them to get near it. In following game into high grass, the utmost that can be done is to have a snap-shot at an animal making off, alarmed by the noise of approaching footsteps ; and, oftener than not, it is heard running away without being seen, although it may perhaps be within two or three yards of one's rifle.

Neither of my brothers shot any thing that day, though they saw buffaloes, ostriches, and two giraffes, and they might have shot ///// or nellut, had they wished to do so ; but it frequently happened that we felt obliged to abstain from shooting antelopes, for fear that by so doing we should lose a chance at bigger