336 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



seen majestically emerging into the open glades, bearing in 

 their trunks the branches of trees, with which they indolently 

 protected themselves from the flies. The back-ground Was filled 

 with a limited peep of the blue mountainous range, which here 

 assumed a remarkably precipitous character, and completed a 

 picture at once soul-stirring and sublime ! 



Our approach, being still against the wind, was unobserved, 

 and created little alarm, until the herd that we had left behind 

 suddenly showed itself, recklessly thundering down the hill to 

 join the main body, and passing so close to us that we could not 

 refrain from firing a broadside into one of them, which, however, 

 bravely withstood it. We secured our horses on the summit 

 of a stony ridge, and then stationing ourselves at an opportune 

 place on a ledge overlooking the wooded defile, sent Andries 

 to manoeuvre, so that as many of the elephants as possible 

 could pass before us in order of review, that we might ascer- 

 tain by a close inspection whether there was not a male amongst 

 them. Filing sluggishly along, they occasionally halted be- 

 neath an umbrageous tree, within fifteen yards of us, lazily 

 fanning themselves with their ample ears, blowing away the 

 flies with their trunks, and uttering the feeble cry so peculiar 

 to Indian elephants. They all proved to be ladies, and most 

 of them mothers, followed by their little old-fashioned calves, 

 each trudging close to the heels of her dam, and mimicking 

 all her motions. Thus situated, we might have killed any 

 number we pleased, their heads being frequently turned to- 

 wards us in such a position, and so close, that a single ball 

 in the brain would have sufficed for each ; but whilst we were 

 yet hesitating, a bullet suddenly whizzed past Richardson's 

 ear, and put the whole herd to immediate flight. We had 

 barely time to recede behind a tree, before a party of about 

 twenty, with several little ones in their wake, were upon us, 

 striding at their utmost speed, and trumpeting loudly with 

 uplifted heads. I rested my rifle against the tree, and firing 

 behind the shoulder of the leader, she dropped instantly. 



