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port and BurgundyI found myself so much better that I was able to hop
about the place upon a pair of crutches which Hans improvised for me out
of Kaffir sticks。 Next morning； my improvement continuing at a rapid
rate； I turned my attention seriously to the shooting match； for which I
had but five days to prepare。
Now it chanced that some months before a young Englishman of good
familyhe was named the Honourable Vavasseur Smythwho had accompanied
an official relative to the Cape Colony； came our way in search of
sport； of which I was able to show him a good deal of a humble kind。 He
had brought with him； amongst other weapons； what in those days was
considered a very beautiful hair…triggered small…bore rifle fitted with
a nipple for percussion caps； then quite a new invention。 It was by a
maker of the name of J。 Purdey； of London； and had cost quite a large
sum because of the perfection of its workmanship。 When the Honourable
V。 Smythof whom I have never heard sincetook his leave of us on his
departure for England； being a generous…hearted young fellow； as a
souvenir of himself； he kindly presented me with this rifle；* which I
still have。
＇*This single…barrelled percussion…cap rifle described by Allan
Quatermain； which figures so prominently in the history of this epoch of
his life； has been sent to me by Mr。 Curtis； and is before me as I
write。 It was made in the year 1835 by J。 Purdey； of 314 1/2； Oxford
Street； London； and is a beautiful piece of workmanship of its kind。
Without the ramrod； which is now missing； it weighs only 5 lbs。 3 3/4
oz。 The barrel is octagonal； and the rifled bore； designed to take a
spherical bullet； is 1/2 in。 in diameter。 The hammer can be set to
safety on the half…cock by means of a catch behind it。
Another peculiarity of the weapon； one that I have never seen before； is
that by pressing on the back of the trigger the ordinary light pull of
the piece is so reduced that the merest touch suffices to fire it； thus
rendering it hair…triggered in the fullest sense of the word。
It has two flap…sights marked for 150 and 200 yards； in addition to the
fixed sight designed for firing at 100 yards。
On the lock are engraved a stag and a doe； the first lying down and the
second standing。
Of its sort and period； it is an extraordinarily well…made and handy
gun； finished with horn at the end of what is now called the tongue； and
with the stock cut away so as to leave a raised cushion against which
the cheek of the shooter rests。
What charge it took I do not know； but I should imagine from 2 1/2 to 3
drachms of powder。 It is easy to understand that in the hands of Allan
Quatermain this weapon； obsolete as it is to…day； was capable of great
things within the limits of its range； and that the faith he put in it
at the trial of skill at the Groote Kloof； and afterwards in the fearful
ordeal of the shooting of the vultures on the wing； upon the Mount of
Slaughter； when the lives of many hung upon his marksmanship； was well
justified。 This； indeed； is shown by the results in both cases。
In writing of this rifle； Messrs。 Purdey informed me that copper
percussion caps were experimented with by Colonel Forsyth in 1820； and
that their firm sold them in 1824； at a cost of #1 15s。 per 1；000；
although their use did not become general until some years later。THE
EDITOR。＇
That was about six months earlier than the time of which I write； and
during those months I had often used this rifle for the shooting of
game； such as blesbuck and also of bustards。 I found it to be a weapon
of the most extraordinary accuracy up to a range of about two hundred
yards； though when I rode off in that desperate hurry for Maraisfontein
I did not take it with me because it was a single barrel and too small
in the bore to load with loopers at a pinch。 Still； in challenging
Pereira； it was this gun and no other that I determined to use； indeed；
had I not owned it I do not think that I should have ventured on the
match。
As it happened； Mr。 Smyth had left me with the rifle a large supply of
specially cast bullets and of the new percussion caps； to say nothing of
some very fine imported powder。 Therefore； having ammunition in plenty；
I set to work to practise。 Seating myself upon a chair in a deep kloof
near the station； across which rock pigeons and turtle doves were wont
to fly in numbers at a considerable height； I began to fire at them as
they flashed over me。
Now； in my age； I may say without fear of being set down a boaster； that
I have one gift； that of marksmanship； which； I suppose； I owe to some
curious combination of judgment； quickness of eye； and steadiness of
hand。 I can declare honestly that in my best days I never knew a man
who could beat me in shooting at a living object； I say nothing of
target work； of which I have little experience。 Oddly enough； also； I
believe that at this art； although then I lacked the practice which
since has come to me in such plenty； I was as good as a youth as I have
ever been in later days； and； of course； far better than I am now。 This
I soon proved upon the present occasion； for seated there in that kloof；
after a few trials； I found that I could bring down quite a number of
even the swift； straight…flying rock pigeons as they sped over me； and
this； be it remembered； not with shot； but with a single bullet； a feat
that many would hold to be incredible。
So the days passed； and I practised； every evening finding me a little
better at this terribly difficult sport。 For always I learned more as
to the exact capacities of my rifle and the allowance that must be made
according to the speed of the bird； its distance； and the complications
of the wind and of the light。 During those days； also； I recovered so
rapidly that at the end of them I was almost in my normal condition； and
could walk well with the aid of a single stick。
At length the eventful Thursday came； and about middayfor I lay in bed
late that morning and did not shootI drove； or； rather； was driven； in
a Cape cart with two horses to the place known as Groote Kloof or Great
Gully。 Over this gorge the wild geese flighted from their 〃pans〃 or
feeding grounds on the high lands above； to other pans that lay some
miles below； and thence； I suppose； straight out to the sea coast；
whence they returned at dawn。
On arriving at the mouth of Groote Kloof about four o'clock in the
afternoon； my father and I were astonished to see a great number of
Boers assembled there； and among them a certain sprinkling of their
younger womankind； who had come on horseback or in carts。
〃Good gracious！〃 I said to my father； 〃if I had known there was to be
such a fuss as this about a shooting match； I don't think I could have
faced it。〃
〃Hum；〃 he answered； 〃I think there is more in the wind than your match。
Unless I am much mistaken； it has been made the excuse of a public
meeting in a secluded spot； so as to throw the Authorities off the
scent。〃
As a matter of fact； my father was quite right。 Before we arrived there
that day the majority of those Boers； after full and long discussion；
had arranged to shake the dust of the Colony off their feet； and find a
home in new lands to the north。
Presently we were among them； and I noticed that； one and all； their
faces were anxious and preoccupied。 Pieter Retief caught sight of me
being helped out of the cart by my father and Hans； whom I had brought
to load； and for a moment looked puzzled。 Evidently his thoughts were
far away。 Then he remembered and exclaimed in his jolly voice：
〃Why！ here is our little Englishman come to shoot off his match like a
man of his word。 Friend Marais； stop talking about your losses〃this
in a warning voice〃and give him good day。〃
So Marais came； and with him Marie； who blushed and smiled； but to my
mind looked more of a grown woman than ever before； one who had left
girlhood behind her and found herself face to face with real life and
all its troubles。 Following her close； very close； as I was quick to
notice； was Hernan Pereira。 He was even more finely dressed than usual
and carried in his hand a beautiful new； single…barrelled rifle； also
fitted to take percussion caps； but； as I thought； of a very large bore
for the purpose of goose shooting。
〃So you have got well again；〃 he said in a genial voice that yet did not
ring true。 Indeed； it suggested to me that he wished I had done nothing
of the sort。 〃Well； Mynheer Allan； here you find me quite ready to
shoot your head off。〃 （He didn't mean that； though I dare say he was。）
〃I tell you that the mare is as good as mine； for I have been
practising； haven't I； Marie？ as the 'aasvogels'〃 （that is； vultures）
〃round the stead know to their cost。〃
〃Yes； Cousin Hernan；〃 said Marie； 〃you have been practising； but so；
perhaps； has Allan。〃
By this time al