A FINE TROPHY 93 



afraid of losing him. Vernede and Fraser each 

 placed a bullet in exactly the right spot just as 

 the elephant crashed into the jungle. 



Before we started and on more than one other 

 occasion we had discussed the grave impropriety of 

 going after any wounded animal in long grass. 

 By long grass I mean a species of cane which grows 

 to some 20 feet in height. We condemned as 

 dangerous maniacs with a suicidal tendency men 

 who did such a thing, and we assured one another 

 that under no conditions should we be guilty of 

 such folly. So far so good, but the moment 

 the elephant dived into the long grass, we were all 

 three after him exactly like a pack of hounds 

 dashing into a gorse covert. To my intense 

 gratification we found the elephant lying on his 

 side stone dead some 50 yards from where I had 

 shot him. I myself think that he might have gone 

 a bit farther but for Vernede's shot from my 

 8 bore, but they both declared that had I not 

 mortally wounded him, he would most certainly 

 have killed me or been quite a mile away from the 

 spot a few minutes after I had fired. Be that as it 

 may, I got my elephant, and he proved to be the 

 possessor of two very nice tusks. I never shall 

 forget the sensation I experienced when I stood 

 by the huge dead beast. He measured 8 feet 

 4 inches at the shoulder; he was in splendid 

 condition and was a heavily built animal. My 

 first feeling was of extreme regret at having killed 

 him, but afterwards I felt fully justified and much 

 comforted by the knowledge that he was a pro- 

 claimed brute who had committed murder, and 

 who certainly would have gone on killing had 



