240 ELEPHANT SHOOTING 



gave an excellent mark, which Baker did not fail to 

 take advantage of. This animal was killed on the spot, 

 and like the other rolled into the river, and boats were 

 sent at once down the stream to tow them both back. 



But luckily for the rest of the herd there was no more 

 ammunition left, so the elephants were allowed to climb 

 up the bank without any more disturbance. They took 

 counsel together as to what was best to be done, and at 

 length agreed it was safer to cross to the further side. A 

 few stray shots from a field gun hastened their movements, 

 though the shells burst without touching them, and the 

 whole nine were soon out of reach on the eastern shore. 



As for the two which had been killed, the current was 

 so strong that the boats sent after their bodies had to go 

 two miles before they came up with them. Unlike a 

 hippopotamus, which sinks for two hours after he is 

 dead, the elephant always floats, for he is like a great 

 football, on which two or three people can stand. The 

 hippopotamus, on the other hand, is solid all through, 

 and his skin is far thicker and heavier than the 

 elephant's. 



The two heads and the tusks were all that Baker 

 wanted, so he was pleased to gratify the villagers who 

 crowded round begging for the meat, which they are very 

 fond of. Hundreds of them came flocking, while some 

 of the tribesmen, who had shown themselves unfriendly, 

 looked on in disgust, watching the preparations for the 

 feast. They were very much awed, too, by the way in 

 which the animals had been killed, and dreading, like all 

 savages, anything they did not understand, they at once 

 sent messengers to beg for peace, which was cheerfully 

 granted them. 



Elephants are very particular what they eat, and 

 prefer roots, bulbs, or the branches of trees containing 

 sweet, gummy juice — like mimosa — to anything else. In 

 their turn their flesh is much prized by the people, partly 

 on account of the fat, which is not only eaten but 



