Wild Beasts and their Ways, vol 1 | Page 9

be exceedingly dangerous should it pass through the antelope
and ricochet into some unlucky village.
As I have already advised the purchaser of a rifle to consider the
purpose for which he requires the weapon, in like manner I would
suggest that he should reflect upon the special purpose for which he
requires the bullet. He should ask himself the questions--"What is a
bullet?" and "What is the duty of a bullet?"
A bullet is generally supposed to be a projectile capable of retaining its
component parts in their integrity. The duty of the bullet is to preserve
its direct course; it should possess a power of great penetration, should
not be easily deflected, and together with penetrating power it should
produce a stunning effect by an overpowering striking energy.
How are we to combine these qualities? If the projectile has great
penetrating force it will pass completely through an animal, and the
striking energy will be diminished, as the force that should have been
expended upon the body is expending itself in propelling the bullet
after it has passed through the body. This must be wrong, as it is

self-evident that the striking energy or knock-down blow must depend
upon the resistance which the body offers to the projectile. If the bullet
remains within it, the striking energy; complete and entire, without any
waste whatever, remains within the body struck. If, therefore, a bullet
'577 of 648 grains propelled by 6 drams of powder has at fifty yards a
striking energy of 3500 foot pounds, that force is expended upon the
object struck,--provided it is stopped by the opposing body.
We should therefore endeavour to prevent the bullet from passing
through an animal, if it is necessary to concentrate the full power of the
projectile upon the resisting body.
This is one reason adduced in favour of the hollow Express bullet,
which smashes up into minute films of lead when it strikes the hard
muscles of an animal, owing to its extreme velocity, and the weakness
of its parts through the hollowness of its centre.
I contend, on the contrary, that the bullet has committed suicide by
destroying itself, although its fragments may have fatally torn and
injured the vital organs of the wounded animal. The bullet has ceased
to exist, as it is broken into fifty shreds; therefore it is dead, as it is no
longer a compact body,--in fact, it has disappeared, although the actual
striking energy of a very inferior bullet may have been expended upon
the animal.
If the animal is small and harmless, this should be the desired result. If,
on the other hand, the animal should be large and dangerous, there
cannot be a greater mistake than the hollow Express projectile.
I have frequently heard persons of great experience dilate with
satisfaction upon the good shots made with their little '450 hollow
Express exactly behind the shoulder of a tiger or some other animal. I
have also heard of their failures, which were to themselves sometimes
incomprehensible. A solid Express '577 NEVER fails if the direction is
accurate towards a vital part. The position of the animal does not
signify; if the hunter has a knowledge of comparative anatomy (which
he must have, to be a thoroughly successful shot) he can make
positively certain of his game at a short distance, as the solid bullet will

crash through muscle, bone, and every opposing obstacle to reach the
fatal organ. If the animal be a tiger, lion, bear, or leopard, the bullet
should have the power to penetrate, but it should not pass completely
through. If it should be a wapiti, or sambur stag, the bullet should also
remain within, retained in all cases under the skin upon the side
opposite to that of entrance. How is this to be managed by the same
rifle burning the same charge of powder with a solid bullet?
The penetration must be arranged by varying the material of the bullet.
A certain number of cartridges should be loaded with bullets of extreme
hardness, intended specially for large thick-skinned animals; other
bullets should be composed of softer metal, which would expand upon
the resisting muscles but would not pass completely through the skin
upon the opposite side. The cartridges would be coloured for
distinction.
If the metal is pure lead, the bullet '577, with an initial velocity of 1650
feet per second, will assuredly assume the form of a button mushroom
immediately upon impact, and it will increase in diameter as it meets
with resistance upon its course until, when expended beneath the elastic
hide upon the opposite side, it will have become fully spread like a
mature mushroom, instead of the button shape that it had assumed on
entrance. I prefer pure lead for tigers, lions, sambur deer, wapiti,