Big Game Shooting 



any direction — the first that enters the leaders 

 head — and as often as not bang over that unfor- 

 tunate individual who loosed off; when the afore- 

 said " chance ' is intensified unless there be a 

 friendly tree (being strong and thick withal) near 

 by. When once alarmed like that they will travel 

 for miles and miles, literally, and they take some 

 considerable catching, although their tracks are 

 easy enough to follow, as a herd of seventy or 

 eighty elephants split up into three or more 

 parties, each in single file, makes a road one could 

 walk along blindfold through the thickest jungle. 



When badly wounded and they have discovered 

 the whereabouts of their pursuer, they are the 

 most formidable and most awe-inspiring animal 

 to be met with in the world, and they say the 

 most vindictive to boot. 



For instance, very recently a sportsman was 

 hunted by a wounded and fearfully enraged bull. 

 He succeeded in climbing a small tree, and the 

 brute, having caught his wind, and so located 

 him, began to tear the tree to pieces, branch by 

 branch, higher and higher, till he reached him. 

 Again, an unfortunate gun-bearer was only saved 

 by the elephant, who had been hit in the heart 

 and was doing his final rush to work as much 

 mischief as he could before going to the happy 

 hunting - ground, falling dead with his trunk 

 actually stretched out to seize the terror-stricken 

 savage. 



74 



