NERVOUSNESS. 55 



uneasy and to suspect danger. However, I managed 

 to crawl within twenty-five yards, and kneeling 

 behind the spur of a giant anthill, aimed about a 

 loot and a half behind the elbow, and fired. Instantly 

 the beast charged headlong through the smoke and 

 passed on a few paces and halted, while I slipped 

 round to the other side of my shelter, from where I 

 gave him the other barrel. This shot appeared to 

 stagger the animal for a few instants ; then he seemed 

 to recover, and again charged into the laggard 

 smoke hanging on the ground. Jim now pushed 

 the smooth-bore into my hand, but I refused it, pre- 

 ferring to take my time and reload the rifle. 



The wounded beast continued to stand still, 

 but his ears were out, while his trunk swayed 

 to and fro, as if endeavouring to scent the nature 

 of the hidden foe that he had to contend with. 

 There is no doubt but that if he had made the 

 discovery he would have charged, but I studiously 

 kept the side of the anthill, and a quantity of bush 

 between us. It appeared to me that I never 

 was such an age in getting loaded ; the banded 

 bullets would not get into the grooves without several 

 efforts, and then they obstinately resisted being 

 rammed home. Of course, this was the result of 

 nervousness. At length, I was capped and again 

 ready, so, clearing myself as much as possible from 

 the scrub without betraying my whereabouts, I 

 noticed that blood was coming both from the tusker's 



