The heat is so intense that the perspiration soaks through everything, and so injures the caps that the very best will frequently miss fire.
The powder should be dried for a few minutes in the sun before it is put into the flask, and it should be well shaken and stirred to break any lumps that may be in it.

One of these, by obstructing the passage in the flask, may cause much trouble in loading quickly, especially when a wounded elephant is regaining his feet.

In such a case you must keep your eyes on the animal when loading, and should the passage of the powder-flask be stopped by a lump, you may fancy the gun is loaded when in fact not a grain of powder has entered it.
The patches should be of silk, soaked in a mixture of one part of beeswax and two of fresh hog's lard, free from salt.

If they are spread with pure grease, it melts out of them in a hot country, and they become dry.

Silk is better than linen as it is not so liable to be cut down by the sharp grooves of the rifle.