314 ADVKISTUKES IN SOUXn AFKlUn. 



and would kill mc to a certainty. I then proposed that 

 all the natives should enter the jungle in a line, and 

 try to drive them out; but they said that no power 

 oould force the elephanis from their strong-hold until 

 night set in. 



The elephants now shifted their ground a little, forc- 

 ing their way through the jungle to the higher side of 

 the basin. Leaving the horses in charge of a native, 1 

 went round to the line of men above. Here I command- 

 ed a fine view of the exasperated elephants, being high 

 above them, and distant about two hundred and fifty 

 yards, and I observed that they displayed considerable 

 cunning in their movements. Placing my rifle on a 

 forked branch, and giving it the proper elevation, I let 

 drive at the nearest cow, and wounded her severely. 

 The shot reverberated through the dale, and the dogs 

 once more ran into the midst of them, when a general 

 charge and trumpeting ensued, which was truly ter- 

 rific. They rushed after the dogs, following them up 

 to a great distance, crashing through and upsetting the 

 high, bushy wait-a-bits and other trees like grass. They 

 then turned and formed in two separate detachments, 

 standing thick together ; but two wicked old cows tha» 

 had calves stood far out from the others, with their 

 heads turned to us, ready to charge whatever might 

 approach. I saw that it was extremely dangerous to 

 attack them ; but the sun was now fast sinking behind 

 a shoulder of the mountains, so I resolved to defy all 

 chances and enter the cover. I first, however, fired two 

 shots at the elephants that formed the advanced pick- 

 ets ; both cows got it in the ribs, and, finding them- 

 selves wounded, retreated to the main body, where they 

 stood smashing the trees with rage, and, catching up 

 volumes of the red dust with their trunks, threw it ia 



