304 IMMENSE HERD. 



Luckily the first elephant seen was a good bull, and, 

 gum tickler in hand, I was soon close behind him. As 

 I moved to one side to get the angle for a shot behind 

 the ear, he stopped to listen ; but I had got far enough, 

 and taking a steady aim, pulled. How can I ex- 

 press my feelings when the cap snapped ? The mon- 

 ster, startled by the crack, turned round towards me, 

 but as he did so I tried the left barrel at his temple, 

 and the bull fell dead within seven yards of me. 



Until now we had no idea of the number of elephants 

 about. Frightened by the report of the favourite, 

 they were bolting on every side of me, roaring and 

 trumpeting. We had, without being aware of it, got 

 into the middle of an enormous herd. The jungle 

 was so dense we could not see any of them, though 

 many rushed by us within a yard or two. Every 

 moment we expected to be run over. As I stood 

 rooted to the spot, an elephant, whether a cow or a 

 bull I don't know, as I could not see the tusks, passed 

 within four yards, exposing the upper part of the 

 head. I had just received Rigby 10 from Masiko, and 

 let drive for the ear, when the brute staggered and fell 

 with a crash through the bushes, but ere I reached 

 the spot recovered itself and moved off. I ran on its 

 tracks for at least half a mile through the same thick 

 jungle, leaving particles of my now dilapidated rai- 

 ment behind at almost every step. At last I saw the 

 animal standing before me, but ere I reached close 

 enough to venture a shot I cracked an unlucky twig 

 under my foot. The elephant turned and charged at 

 once. I had not reloaded the right barrel, and conse- 

 quently had but one shot, which I fired at the charg- 



