Further Experiences with Elephant 



We got into position, and again had to wait, as 

 there was a thick bush between the big one and 

 me, and it was no use making a noise shifting to 

 right or left on the shaky rock which shpped 

 about at each step we took. A puff of wind 

 came from behind us, as usual with the dawn, 

 however, and though only momentary was enough 

 to "settle our hash." Up went their trunks waving 

 in the air to locate the taint of our smell, and 

 they began moving off at a fast walk, shuffling 

 along in the noiseless way that seems so curious 

 considering the vast bulk of these unwieldy 

 brutes. I covered an open space that they would 

 have to pass through with my rifle — the heavy 

 one now as they were on the move — and the big 

 bull showed over the sights. The barrel was 

 raised a shade higher, and I let him have it in 

 the head, and down he thumped on the spot. 

 Number two, I thought, brought to book ! But 

 not so ! He staggered up again and barged 

 off among the bushes and stunted trees, smashing 

 everything to matchwood, reeling to and fro like 

 a drunken man, with the other two — one in front 

 and the other behind him — trumpeting and 

 screaming like lunatics at having their morning 

 meal upset. 



It is best to draw a curtain over my frame 

 of mind at having succeeded so beautifully in 

 "botching" the whole thing ; but cursing was no 

 use, and it was better to get under weigh at once 



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