198 ADVENrURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



week no less than ten first-rate old bull elephants. I 

 communicated my idea to " Stick-in-the-mud," and we 

 hastily proceeded to saddle m}- steed. I led my dogs, 

 eight in number, through the forest to leeward of where 

 a bull who had come to the fountain to drink had gone 

 in, and when I saw that they had got his wind I slipped 

 them. They dashed forward, and next minute I fol- 

 lowed the baying of the dogs and the crash and the 

 trumpet of the elephant. He rushed away at first 

 without halting, and held right for the mountains to 

 the southwest. When, however, he found that his 

 speed did not avail, and that he could not get away 

 from his pursuers, he began to turn and dodge about 

 in the thickest of the cover, occasionally making 

 charges after the dogs. I followed on as best I could, 

 shouting with all my might to encourage my good 

 hounds. These, hearing their master's voice beside 

 them, stuck well by the elephant, and fought him bet- 

 ter than in the day. I gave him my first two shots 

 from the saddle; after which I rode close up to him, 

 and, running in on foot, gave him some deadly shots 

 at distances of from fifteen to twenty yards. 



The elephant very soon evinced signs of distress, and 

 ceased to make away from us. Taking up positions in 

 the densest parts of the cover, he caught up the red 

 dust with his trunk, and, throwing it over his head and 

 back, endeavored to conceal himself in a cloud. This 

 was a fine opportunity to pour in my deadly shafts, and 

 I took care to avail myself of it. When he had re- 

 ceived about twelve shots, he walked slowly forward in 

 a dying state, the blood streaming from his trunk. 1 

 rode close up to him, and gave him a sharp right and 

 left from the saddle : he turned and walked a few yards, 

 then suddenly came down with tremendous violence on 



