8o A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



Stooping down, I now saw them not more than 

 thirty yards off, for the bush was very dense. They 

 were standing huddled together in a mass under the 

 shade of a large tree, gently flapping their huge ears 

 in a sleepy, contented sort of way, all unconscious of 

 the deadly enemy that lurked so near. Judging that 

 when they were started they would make for the 

 steep banks of the kloof, either on the one side or the 

 other, and as what little wind there was was blowing 

 from them towards where we were standing, I sent 

 two of my boys up each side to drive them towards 

 me it they came in their direction (it is usually an 

 easy matter to turn elephants by shouting in front of 

 them, though of course it sometimes happens that, 

 instead of turning, they charge in the direction of 

 the noise). Having made these arrangements, and 

 after taking a gulp of water from the calabash and 

 giving a hitch to my belt, I beckoned to my two 

 gun-carriers, and then taking my first gun, crept 

 quietly to within about twenty yards of the still 

 unconscious elephants, to look for the finest pair of 

 ivories. Owing to the way in which they were 

 crowded together, I could not get a very good view 

 of most of them ; one, however, standing to the left 

 of the rest, and turned half away from me, showed a 

 fine long tusk on the right-hand side, offering at the 

 same time a good shot behind the shoulder ; and so, 

 not seeing a better chance, I fired. I had hoped to 

 get another shot with the second gun, but the bush 

 was so thick, and the elephants broke away in their 

 panic with such despatch, that I could not get a 

 chance ; so calling to my second gun-carrier to keep 

 close, I ran as hard as I could after them. At their 

 first set-off", running all close together, they had 

 cleared a path like a waggon road ; but on reaching 



