ELEPHANT AND HIPPOPOTAMUS 



moment later, bringing up the rear. The earth trembled 

 as they set off, trees and branches crashed down right 

 and left. We started at once in pursuit and after follow- 

 ing up the reddened trail for several hours we espied the 

 I lephants in a glade just ahead with only half their 

 bodies visible above the tall grass. The bull stood apart 

 from the others. Taking shelter behind a tree I got 

 ready again, and in two minutes another shot rang out 

 and he came down with a crash of trees and bush. On 

 account of the long grass it was hard to tell, from where 

 I was, whether it was safe to advance; so Matakanga 

 scaled a tree close by and looking down on the brute 

 from above was able to assure us that he was dead. I 

 advanced, taking care to keep clear of the trunk. A shot 

 in the back of the head seemed to quench the last spark 

 of activity in the enormous creature, but I would not 

 allow the boys to approach until I had given him a few 

 more rounds. In a short time the work of cutting out 

 the ivory began, the axes were got to work and every one 

 was beaming with delight. Very soon the villagers began 

 to arrive, men, women and children carrying grass and 

 wicker baskets. Reserving a good portion of the flesh 

 for my boys I told the villagers they were free to have 

 the rest of the body. Loin cloths and trinkets were put 

 aside and they squatted all over the huge carcase, off 

 came strips of flesh, knives and spearheads detached from 

 the shafts were all brought into requisition by the de- 

 lighted mob, who seemed to revel in covering themselves 

 with the blood. 



•303 and -450 rifles are not allowed in Uganda. A 

 pamphlet I have seen which advocates the taking of a 

 •303 or -450 over the Uganda Railways is rather apt to 

 mislead in this respect, for as yet the Uganda railways 

 referred to do not run in Uganda itself, but only from 

 Mombasa to Port Florence on Lake Victoria Nyanza, 

 that is to say through British East Africa. 



85 



