ELEPHANT HUNTING 259 



the hunt, the death of the elephant, and the power of the 

 rifles; and gradually, as they got farther ahead, the more 

 light-hearted among them began to give way to their spirits 

 and they came into camp frolicking, gambolling, and dan- 

 cing as if they were still the naked savages that they had 

 been before they became the white man's followers. 



Two days later Kermit got his bull. He and Tarlton 

 had camped about ten miles off in a magnificent forest, 

 and late the first afternoon received news that a herd of ele- 

 phants was in the neighborhood. They were off by dawn, 

 and in a few hours came on the herd. It consisted chiefly 

 of cows and calves, but there was one big master bull, with 

 fair tusks. It was open forest with long grass. By careful 

 stalking they got within thirty yards of the bull, behind 

 whom was a line of cows. Kermit put both barrels of his 

 heavy double .450 into the tusker's head, but without even 

 staggering him; and as he walked off Tarlton also fired 

 both barrels into him, with no more effect; then, as he 

 slowly turned, Kermit killed him with a shot in the brain 

 from the .405 Winchester. Immediately the cows lifted 

 their ears, and began trumpeting and threatening; if they 

 had come on in a body at that distance, there was not 

 much chance of turning them or of escaping from them: 

 and after standing stock still for a minute or two, Kermit 

 and Tarlton stole quietly off for a hundred yards, and 

 waited until the anger of the cows cooled and they had 

 moved away, before going up to the dead bull. Then they 

 followed the herd again, and Kermit got some photos 

 which, as far as I know, are better than any that have 

 ever before been taken of wild elephant. He took them 

 close up, at imminent risk of a charge. 



