An additional interesting fact contained in this book is what may be the first mention (in print) of the “Al-Quida”.

This book also contains an interesting account of elephant hunting by The Hamran Arabs, who would pursue an elephant on hoseback, and then as the elephant began to slow, they would dismount (during the chase) and slash the achilles tendon of the elephants rear leg with a large sharp sword (Elephant are unable to run, or even to walk, on three legs, so an elephant with one leg disabled is essentially “pinned”.

Hi Giles, any chance you can email me some photos of the 2-bore to post on the blog. My email address is on the top of the left sidebar.

Best Regards,

Steve

The english explorer Sir Samuel Baker was keen on the 2 bore:

“but as I rushed toward him with a shout, he turned toward the jungle, and I immediately fired a steady shot at the shoulder with the “Baby.” As usual, the fearful recoil of the rifle, with a half-pound shell and twelve drams of powder, nearly threw me backward; but I saw the mark upon the elephant’s shoulder, in an excellent line, although rather high.”

“My second rifle was beautifully handed, and I made a quick right and left at the temples of two fine elephants, dropping them both stone dead. At this moment the “Baby” was pushed into my hand by Hadji Ali just in time to take the shoulder of the last of the herd, who had already charged headlong after his comrades and was disappearing in the jungle. Bang! went the “Baby;” round I spun like a weathercock, with the blood pouring from my nose, as the recoil had driven the sharp top of the hammer deep into the bridge. My “Baby” not only screamed, but kicked viciously. However, I knew that the elephant must be bagged, as the half-pound shell had been aimed directly behind the shoulder.”

“I was within fifteen paces of them, and so compactly were they packed that with all their immense strength they could not at once force so extensive a front through the tough and powerful branches of the dense kittar. For about half a minute they were absolutely checked, and they bored forward with all their might in their determination to open a road through the matted thorns. The elastic boughs, bent from their position, sprang back with dangerous force, and would have fractured the skull of any one who came within their sweep. A very large elephant was on the left flank, and for an instant he turned obliquely to the left. I quickly seized the opportunity and fired the “Baby,” with an explosive shell, aimed far back in the flank, trusting that it would penetrate beneath the opposite shoulder. The recoil of the “Baby,” loaded with ten drams of the strongest powder and a half-pound shell, spun me round like a top. It was difficult to say which was staggered the more severely, the elephant or myself.”

I love that last line “It was difficult to say which was staggered the more severely, the elephant or myself.”

(h/t sam)

I found a photo of a 2-bore, luckily along with normal scale rifles-

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/02/2-bore.html

Forget the videos of the guys shooting the .577 Tyrannosaur, I want to see the 2-bore in action!