DEATH OF AN ELEPHANT. 211 



up tlie stream, whicli was about ten yards wide, with 

 perpendicular banks, about fifteen feet high ; so I got 

 out on the right side, and sending Mobita to the op- 

 posite one, lest the animal should have turned out 

 that way, I walked up the bank. I had not gone 

 more than fifty yards when I heard a rumbling sound 

 — one familiar to my ears. Then followed the noise 

 made by the elephant as he walked into the water. 

 A few steps brought me to the spot, and on looking 

 over the bank I saw his huge form beneath me — he 

 was standing still, and within six yards of me. In an 

 instant I fired at his head, but as I could not see 

 the sight of the gun, the shot was not so accurate as 

 it might have been in the da^^-time. However, the 

 elephant fell and lay struggling in the water. As he 

 seemed likely to get up, I fired the second barrel of 

 the gumtickler at his ear as well as I could see, and 

 this quieted him. I now quickly reloaded the gun. 

 and Mobita joined me at once. The beast again 

 struggling to get up, I put up the rifle, but as I could 

 not make out the sight, instead of firing at the head I 

 let drive both barrels into the body close to the shoul- 

 der. He got up on his forelegs, but the hind quar- 

 ters seemed paralysed. Again I fired the right barrel 

 of the big gun at his head, though I could scarcely see 

 at what part, and once more he fell over stunned by 

 the shot. When I had nearly finished reloading the 

 breechloader, some movements of the elephant show- 

 ed that he was not yet dead ; but another shot from 

 the remaining barrel of the favourite gun quieted him, 

 and I proceeded to reload. Having finished doing so 

 I waited a few minutes, and seeing no signs of a stir 



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