XVII HARD PRESSED 363 



and soon caught up to them again. We now galloped 

 along, even with, and about 100 yards to the side 

 of the foremost of them, shouting and hallooing, 

 and thus drove them round in a large circle, our 

 object being to tire them before we commenced firing. 

 Though I had killed many elephants, yet having 

 always before this season hunted on foot in regions 

 infested by the tsetse fly, I had had no experience 

 with them on horseback, so, having been told by my 

 friends on no account to dismount, but to shoot trom 

 the horse's back, as, in case of a charge, I should 

 have no time to remount, I endeavoured at first to 

 comply with their instructions ; however, my horse, 

 worse luck to him, would not stand, but as soon as I 

 dropped the reins, always walked or trotted forwards, 

 thus making it impossible to get a shot. Seeing that 

 if this continued, I should never shoot an elephant 

 at all, I determined to dismount ; so, cantering up 

 alongside of the foremost, I jumped ofi\ and gave a 

 young bull a bullet behind the shoulder as he came 

 broadside past me. He only ran about 100 yards, 

 and then fell dead. After this I quickly killed 

 two more with five shots — a fine cow and another 

 young bull. The fourth I tackled, a bull with 

 tusks scaling about 35 lbs., cost me six bullets, and 

 gave me a smart chase, for my horse was now 

 dead beat. I only got away at all by the skin of 

 my teeth, as, although the infuriated animal whilst 

 charging trumpeted all the time like a railway engine, 

 I could not get my tired horse out of a canter until 

 he was close upon me, and I firmly believe that 

 had he not been so badly wounded he would have 

 caught me. I know the shrill screaming sounded 

 unpleasantly near. 



Just as this bull fell, Wood and Cross came round 



