164 THE GREAT THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS 



"The friend now seemed resolved to do some mischief, and charged 

 me furiously, pursuing me to a distance of several hundred yards. 1 

 therefore deemed it proper to give her a gentle hint to act less offi- 

 ciously, and, accordingly, having loaded, I approached within thirty 

 yards, and gave it her sharp, right and left, behind the shoulder, upon 

 which she at once made off with drooping trunk, evidently with a 

 mortal wound. I never recur to this day's elephant shooting without 



AM ELEPHAXT ROOTING UP A TREli 



regretting my folly in contenting myself with securing only one ele- 

 phant. The first was now dying, and could not leave the ground, and 

 the second was also mortally wounded, and I had only to follow and 

 finish her; but I foolishly allowed her to escape, while I amused myself 

 with the first, which kept walking backward, and standing by every 

 tree she passed. Two more shots finished her : on receiving them, she 



