42 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



From this moment each attended to his allotted 

 task, so knew nothing of the danger or successes his 

 companions might be suffering or enjoying. 



Possibly from a desire to fire the first shot, I did 

 not approach as near my prey as I might have 

 done ; however, when I pressed the triggers I 

 could not have been much over 25 yards from the 

 object I aligned my sight upon. 



My aim was taken for behind the shoulder, and 

 both bullets told within an inch or two of the other. 

 The elephant, from the position of the boulders that 

 surrounded him, could neither hurriedly turn or 

 hurriedly advance, and, although the wounds must 

 have been both painful and severe, it was several 

 moments before he could get upon more open 

 ground. As to who or where was his foe, up to this 

 time the poor brute seemed to be utterly unconscious, 

 so stood dazed and utterly at a loss how to proceed. 

 This was fortunate for me, as it gave me time to 

 load, with the probability of giving the victim two 

 more bullets at a very slight increase of range. 

 Just as I was completing my capping, the elephant 

 advanced a few paces with the intention of crossing 

 my front ; this course I had for some moments been 

 earnestly hoping the beast would take, as it gave 

 me a chance unseen to get behind a rock quite as 

 high as my waist, and reduced my range several 

 yards. As I fired the next two shots the old bull 

 was moving slowly forward with his trunk in the 



