African Arsenal

If Gabriel R. Aluisy '38 doesn't bag at least half a dozen leopards and other assorted large game on his hunting trip to the Republic of Liberia in Africa, it will not be for lack of firearms. He and his friend Al Maling, also a native of Quincy, Mass., rated headlines in the Quincy Patriot Ledger for their projected trip in February and for their arsenal. Each hunter planned to take a 12-gauge shotgun with double-O buckshot, "for small game at short-range.' In the rifle department there were a Model 7, 30-06 Winchester, a 300 Magnum Winchester and 375 Magnum Winchester. The 375 was taken "just in case we're charged by an elephant, rhino or hippo." For sidearms - "personal protection of a last-ditch nature' - as the newspaper account put it, each man took .38 and .45 Colt revolvers. The hunters believed that their 30-06 Winchesters would see the most service, since the shooting range in the African bush is from 50 to 100 yards.

The two men were to meet another hunter friend, Bill Bean, a veteran of two Alaskan hunting trips, after they reached Africa. There the three were to be guests of William V. Tubman, president of the Republic of Liberia, who had helped to expedite their safari plans. These included a following of ten native boys for gun bearing and camping chores, and invitations to stop along the way at palm oil, coffee and cocoa plantations.

The main targets of the expedition were to be leopards, although it was expected that chimps, hippos, rhinos, water buffalo, antelope, boars and snakes would be met up with.

Gary Aluisy is owner of Coral Gables, a restaurant in North Weymouth, Mass.