A NOBLE BULL ELEPHANT BAGGED. 31J 



of ruen were thridding the mazes of the forest, cacb 

 warntu tlie man behind him of any rough sticks, stones, 

 or thor.T.s wliich lay across the path, by the same ele. 

 gant an J friendly gesture. 



We re-^nmed the spoor at a rapid pacr-, with a wide- 

 ly-extended front, and ])resently on my left I heard the 

 joyons signal of the presence, " Kiow ;" and, canterinq 

 in that direction, I came full in sight of an enormoug 

 bull elephant, marching along at a free majestic pace, 

 and in another minute I was riding by his side. The 

 horse which I bestrode on this occasion was "The 

 Cow," one of my best and stotidiest shooting-horses ; 

 and the forest being tolerably suited for the sport, I was 

 not long in finishing the elephant. I fired thirteen bul- 

 lets at his head and shoulder ; on receiving the last two 

 shots sharp right and left behind the .shoulder, he mado 

 a rapid charge, and disappeared among the trees. Cau- 

 tiously foUovv'ing, I discovered him lying in an upright 

 position, with his two fore legs stretched out before him. 

 Fancying he was still alive, I fired both barrels at his 

 car ; but, though the balls rang loudly on his venera- 

 ble head, the noble elephant heeded not their force; 

 his ancient spirit had departed. 



This was a very large old elephant ; but his tusks 

 were much destroyed, being worn down, and having 

 been broken (probably in rocky ground) in former years. 

 Mutchuisho appeared in the highest glee, and dispatch- 

 ed messengers through the gorge in the mountains, the 

 name of which is Sabie, to advise Sicomy of the death 

 of the elephant. The chase had led me to within rifle- 

 range of the three veteran acacias T admired in the morn- 

 ing. I made my bower and a couch of grass beneath a 

 shady wait-a-bit thorn-tree, and encircled my fire with 

 a hedge of the same description. 



