86 The Sea Elephant 



curious to know what sort of a reception these monsters 

 would give us when we burst in upon them armed 

 only with clubs. True, we had been told repeatedly 

 that all we had to do was to smite them fiercely on the 

 nose, and they would fall an inert mass at our feet, 

 when we were to cut their throats immediately. But 

 somehow a sight of them did not seem to inspire us 

 with much confidence in our ability to carry out these 

 simple orders to the letter. They looked so awe- 

 inspiring in that luminous haze. There was a gentle 

 drip drip of moisture from the rocks around distinctly 

 audible between the long, sullen, thunderous roll of 

 the breakers, and the occasional hideous roaring of the 

 seals, and to my excited fancy it seemed as if it were 

 the ticking of the clock of my life almost run down. 

 For natural scepticism asserted itself, and I did not, 

 could not, believe that our enterprise was as free from 

 danger as I had been so repeatedly assured. 



At last, after what seemed an interminable time of 

 waiting, during which my hand got quite glued to my 

 club from the nervous energy of my grip upon it, the 

 last of the mighty family slowly heaved his huge bulk 

 out of the surf and waddled after the rest inland. He 

 had hardly put a dozen yards between himself and the 

 water-line, when, in a low, hissing voice, our chief 

 said : * Now, then, spread yourselves along the beach 

 between 'em an' the sea. Remember, a good bang 

 where the trunk joins the head and then a clean swipe 

 across the neck with the knife as hard as you can cut. 

 Don't do nothing but that to as many as you can.' 



Off we all rushed, he leading us, without a sound 

 save the patter of our feet on the sand until we were 

 all between the Elephants and the sea. Then we raised 

 a yell, startling and vigorous enough to dominate the 

 boom of the breakers. I saw the hindmost monster 



