292 CHARGED BY AN ELEPHANT. 



large trees that shaded the jungle here and there near 

 the banks. The first anhnals that caught my eyes 

 proved to be two cows, standing in some thick and 

 high reeds, that covered the ground close to the bank 

 of the river, which was all but dry, as there was only 

 a small pool of water here and there. I would not 

 fire at them, hoping I might be able to find a bull ; 

 and, sure enough, there was a fine one standing in 

 the dry bed of the river, where he had dug a hole 

 with his trunk, thus procuring water for himself. His 

 tusks, though certainly fine ones, seemed to be much 

 smaller than those of the last elephant I killed. The 

 bed of the river was broad, and as he stood in the 

 middle of it, with no cover nearer than the bank, I 

 found I could not possibly get closer than within 

 forty -five yards of him, and, therefore, determined to 

 try at least to shake his nerves with a shot from the 

 gumtickler. The good gun roared, and the monster 

 fell. 



Thinking he was dead, Chippootoola ran down and 

 fired a shot into him from a spare rifle which he car- 

 ried. This roused the only partly-stunned brute, who, 

 recovering himself, got on his legs, and in a most 

 determined way charged the Makololo, who ran 

 straight for me, his head all the while turned back 

 watching the monster, as he rapidly gained on him. 

 As I hastened down to his assistance with but one 

 shot in my gun, the frightened man by a sudden 

 turn ran against me, and knocked me head over 

 heels. While endeavouring to get up I perceived 

 the elephant close on me, and just managed to gain 

 a sitting posture in time to fire at his head. Once 



