DISCUVEIl A HEllb OF BULL ELEPHANTS. 337 



Umt stood near us, but they could not see the elepnants. Mut- 

 ch uisho tnen extended men to the right and left, while we con- 

 tinued on the spoor. 



In a few minutes one of those who had gone off to our left came 

 running breathless to say that he had seen the mighty game. I 

 halted for a minute, and instructed Isaac, who carried the big 

 Dutch rifle, to act independently of me, while Kleinboy was to 

 assist me in the chase ; but, as usual, when the row began, my 

 followers thought only of number one. I bared my arms to the 

 shoulder, and, having imbibed a draught of aqua pura from the 

 calabash of one of the spoorers, I grasped my trusty two-grooved 

 rifle, and told my guide to go ahead. We proceeded silently as 

 might be for a few hundred yards, following the guide, when he 

 suddenly minted, exclaiming, " Klow !" and befotr, vs stood a 

 herd of mighty bull elephants, packed together beuwih a shady 

 grove about a hundred and fifty yards in advance. I rode slowly 

 toward them, and, as soon as they observed me, they made a loud 

 rumbling noise, and, tossing their trunks, wheeled right about and 

 made off in one direction, crashing through the forest and leaving 

 a cloud of dust behind them. I was accompanied by a detach- 

 ment of my dogs, who assisted me in the pursuit. 



The distance I had come, and the difficulties I had undergone, 

 to behold these elephants, rose fresh before me. I determined 

 that on this occasion at least I would do my duty, and, dashing 

 my spurs into Sunday's" ribs, I was very soon much too close 

 in their rear for safety. The elephants now made an inclination 

 to my left, whereby I obtained a good view of the ivory. The 

 herd consisted of six bulls ; four of them were full-grown, first-rate 

 elephants ; the other two were fine fellows, but had not yet 

 arrived at perfect stature. Of the four old fellows, two had much 

 finer tusks than the rest, and for a few seconds 1 was undecided 

 which of these two 1 would follow ; when, suddenly, the one 

 which I fancied had the stoutest tusks broke from his comrades, 

 and f at once felt convinced that he was the patriarch of the herd, 

 and followed him accordingly. Cantering alongside, I was about 

 to fire, when he instantly turned, and-, uttering a t* impel so strong 



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