312 A FRIGHTENED GUIDE. 



I moved in amongst the herd — Chinsoro at my heels, 

 trembUng like an aspen leaf. The next I saw was 

 a fair bull, standing three parts from me, and offer- 

 ing a splendid shot behind the ear. A couple of 

 steps brought me within *ten yards of him, and in 

 another instant the gumtickler bellowed, and the bull 

 fell dead. At that moment another of the herd bore 

 straight down on the fallen one, and seeing it pros- 

 trate, stood a minute with extended trunk over its 

 companion. It was full on to me, and the head being 

 lowered, gave an opportunity to the second barrel of 

 the big gun. In another instant two elephants lay 

 dead side by side. Fortunately both were bulls ; but 

 though their tusks were fair, they were not anything 

 like the length or thickness of some I had killed 

 higher up the country. The remainder of the herd 

 were off like lightning. 



It was some time before I could find the frightened 

 guide, but when eventually he did come, trembling 

 and shaking, he went frantic with delight at the sight 

 before him. Returning to the boat for the men 

 and axes to take the ivory, on the way back I 

 wounded a fine waterbuck, which I subsequently lost 

 through not having time to follow him up. However, 

 a small ourebi {scopophorus ourehi) was added to the 

 bag by a lucky running shot at eighty yards, the ball 

 passing clean through the brain. At 3 p.m. the tusks 

 arrived, and bidding adieu to the natives of the vil- 

 lage, who looked on me as a god for giving them so 

 much meat, I left, and continued ray course down the 

 river. The heat was most oppressive — not a breath 

 of air. 



