A Stroll before Breakfast. 149 



elephant should observe them, a'nd with this precaution 

 we advanced, making a circuit of nearly a mile to ob- 

 tain the wind. On arrival at the belt of thick jungle 

 which divided us from the small glade upon which he 

 stood, I perceived, as I had expected, that the sun was 

 full in our eyes. This was a disadvantage which I felt 

 convinced would lose us the elephant, unless some ex- 

 traordinary chanc'e intervened : however, we entered 

 the thick jungle before us, and cautiously pushed our 

 way through it. This belt was not more than fifty 

 yards in width, and we soon broke upon the small 

 glade. 



The elephant was standing with his back toward us, 

 at about forty paces distant, close to the thick jungle by 

 his side ; and, taking my four-ounce rifle, I walked 

 quietly but quickly toward him. Without a moment's 

 warning he flung his trunk straight up, and, turning 

 sharp round, he at once charged into us. The sun 

 shone full in my eyes, so that I could do nothing but 

 fire somewhere at his head. He fell, but immediately 

 recovered himself, and before the smoke had cleared 

 away he was in full retreat through the thorny jungle, 

 the heavy ball having taken all the pluck out of him. 

 This was just as I had expected ; pui'suit in such a jun- 

 gle was impossible, and I was perfectly contented with 

 having turned him. 



The next morning, having made all arrangements 

 for starting homeward, after breakfast I took my rifle 

 and one gun-bearer with a double-barreled gun to enjoy 

 one last stroll in the fprest. It was just break of day 

 when I entered the forest. My first course was to- 

 ward the river which flowed through it, as I expected 

 to find the game near the water, an hour before sunrise 

 13 



