Introductory Chapter 



We will suppose the herd has been located, 

 and, what is more, that a big bull has been found 

 which the sportsman has determined to bring to 

 book. The savage employed as gun-bearer has 

 with infinite care safely conducted his employer 

 to within shootable distance, i.e. twenty-five yards 

 or nearer if possible, without the herd getting 

 the slightest suspicion of his close proximity ; and 

 moreover we will presume the quarry to be broad- 

 side on. 



There are two shots open : — 



{a) A small hollow can easily be distinguished 

 half-way between the eye and the ear-Zzo/e. A 

 bullet put into this penetrates the brain and kills 

 the elephant at once. 



(d) Bisect his fore-leg vertically and his body 

 horizontally, and aim some six inches behind and 

 below the point where these lines intersect. 



This shot floors the great quadruped on the spot, 

 and he cannot move, but has to be finished off 



I have heard this latter described as the " heart 

 shot," but very much doubt the correctness of the 

 term for the following- reasons. An animal when 

 shot in the heart, though dead to all intents and 

 purposes, invariably gallops wildly straight for- 

 ward till the pumping of the blood caused by the 

 heart's action ceases, when he falls down plumb. 

 An animal shot anywhere in the neck instantly 

 drops like a log owing, I am informed, to the 

 many nerves which run from the brain to the top 



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