With Flashlight and Rifle ^ 



of photogniphini^" the c'l(j[->h;ints again in the act of taking 

 flight, so I packed away my camera carefull\- in its case 

 in exi)ectati()n of exciting events to come. Then I 

 took ii[) niy rifle and, as a nearer ai)proach could not 

 be made for kick ot cover, shot the largest hull elejjhant 

 that was nearest to me high up on tht- trunk. 1 had lired 

 kneeling. The elephant showed that he was hit by taking 

 three or four steps forward, swinging up his trunk, and 

 moving his great ears about like a fan. Simultaneously the 

 whole mass of elephants l)egan to show signs ot animation. 

 I was reminded of the disturbing of a bee-hive or of an 

 ants' nest by the way in which, with surprising quickness, 

 they all, old and young, swarmed out of their resting- 

 place, spreading out their ears and swinging or rolling 

 up their trunks, as they searched all round them tor their 

 enemy. From my kneeling position (m\- men were lying 

 flat on the ground beside me) 1 now scmt two mor(; bullets 

 at the elephant I had already shot ; then the whole herd, 

 led by an old cow with trunk rolled up, set off suddenly in 

 full fli''"ht, as though at a word of command, and not in 

 the direction of the velt. as I had expected, or for the 

 hills behind iIkmii, but sideways to the right. 



It was a real delight— the grand spectacle of these five- 

 and-twenty elephants a hundrcxl and titty yards oft' charging 

 past me! On they went with extraordinary speed—almost 

 without a sound, in spite ot their tremendous weight. 

 ddT(; wounded bull c^lephant was a little to one side, 

 nearer me. and iumj)ing up I was able to g(;t another 

 bullet into his shoulder. INly shot, however, had this 

 result, that the whoh; herd suddenl)' stopped, with the 



176 



