162 THE GREAT THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS 



ride hard to camp, with instructions to return as quickly as possible, 

 accompanied by Kleinboy, and to bring me my dogs, the large Dutch 

 rifle, and a fresh horse. I once more ascended the hillock to feast my 

 eyes upon the enchanting sight before me, and, drawing out my spy- 

 glass, narrowly watched the motions of the elephants. The herd 

 consisted entirely of females, several of which were followed by small 

 calves. 



"Presently, on reconnoitering the surrounding country, I dis- 

 covered a second herd, consisting of five bull elephants, which were 

 quietly feeding about a mile to the northward. The cows were feed- 

 ing toward a rocky ridge that stretched away from the base of the 

 hillock on which I stood. Burning with impatience to commence the 

 attack, I resolved to try the stalking system with these, and to hunt 

 the troop of bulls with dogs and horses. Having thus decided, 1 

 directed the guides to watch the elephants from the summit of the 

 hillock, and with a beating heart I approached them. The ground and 

 wind favoring me, I soon gained the rocky ridge toward which they 

 were feeding. They were now within one hundred yards, and I 

 resolved to enjoy the pleasure of watching their movements for a 

 little before I fired. They continued to feed slowly toward me, break- 

 ing the branches from the trees with their trunks, and eating the leaves 

 and tender shoots. I soon selected the finest in the herd, and kept 

 my eye on her in particular. At length two of the troop had walked 

 slowly past at about sixty yards, and the one which I had selected was 

 feeding with two others, on a thorny tree before me. 



"My hand was now as steady as the rock on which it rested; so, 

 taking a deliberate aim, I let fly at her head, a little behind the eye. 

 She got it hard and sharp, just where I aimed, but it did not seem 

 to affect her much. Uttering a loud cry, she wheeled about, when 

 I gave her the second ball close behind the shoulder. All the elephants 

 uttered a strange rumbling noise, and made off in a line to the north- 

 ward at a brisk ambling pace, their huge, fan-like ears flapping in the 

 ratio of their speed. I did not w^ait to load, but ran back to the hillock 

 to obtain a view. On gaining its summit, the guides pointed out the 

 elephants : they were standing in a grove of shady trees, but the 

 wounded one was some distance behind with another elephant, doubt- 



