Hints on Shooting. 257
journeys, in order to relieve travellers from the useless burden of bones." (Hue's ` Tartary.') See also the section on " Heavy weights, to raise and carry," especially Mr. Wyndham's plan.
To float carcases of Game across a river.-Sir S. Baker
recommends stripping off the skin of the animal, as though it were intended to make a water-skin of it : putting a stone behind each bullet-hole and tying it tightly in : also tying up the neck end of the skin ; thus forming a water-tight sack, open at one end only. All the flesh is now to be cut off the bones, and packed into the sack ; which is then to be inflated, and secured by tying up the open end. The skin of a large antelope thus inflated, will not only float the whole of the flesh, but will also support several swimmers.
" To carry Ivory on pack-animals, the North African traders use nets, slinging two large teeth on each side of an ass. Small teeth are wrapped up in skins and secured with rope." (llungo Park.)
Setting a gun as a spring-gun.-General Remarks.-The string
that goes across the pathway should be dark coloured, and so fine that, if the beast struggles against it, it should break rather than cause injury to the gun. I must however, add, that in the numerous cases in which I have witnessed or heard of guns being set with success, for large beasts of prey, I have never known of injury occurring to the gun. The height of the muzzle should be properly arranged with regard to the height of the expected animal ; thus, the heart of a hyena is the height of a man's knee above the ground; that of a lion, is a span higher. The string should not be tight, but hang in a bow, or the animal will cause the gun to go off on first touching the string, and will only receive a flesh-wound across the front of his chest.
1st Method.-The annexed sketch (p. 258) explains the method I have described in previous editions of this book. The stock is firmly lashed to a tree, and the muzzle to a stake planted in the ground. A " lever-stick," 8 inches long, is bound across the grip of the gun so as to stand upright ; but it is not bound so tightly as to prevent a slight degree of movement. The bottom of the " lever-stick " is tied to the trigger, and the top
