TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



shots, and was thinking of calling off the horsemen as there 

 did not seem to be any more large animals left, when there 

 was a sudden crash, accompanied by shrill trumpeting, 

 and a small herd of elephants, headed by a monster bull, 

 came charging down an avenue composed of thorn trees and 

 aloes, directly on our position. 



So intent were they on getting away that they had 

 apparently not seen us. Khaliffa, who had my second gun, 

 promptly dived into a bush, but Sabha, notwithstanding 

 that he had never seen a wild elephant before, stood firm 

 and, firing into the leading animals, we fortunately turned 

 them. 



There is always danger attending this kind of sport, 

 for in the general stampede that takes place there is a great 

 risk of being trampled underfoot. The horsemen now 

 coming up, the cordon was broken and the big tusker with 

 the remaining elephants made off. I was greatly dis- 

 appointed in not securing the big fellow, for he had a 

 splendid pair of ivories. 



However, we had done very well, five bull elephants, 

 and a cow shot by mistake. It took us two full days to 

 cut out all the tusks, the largest pair weighing over 90 Ibs. 



The following morning found us in the saddle again on 

 the spoor of another herd, which we followed for some 

 fourteen miles and finally came upon the elephants, standing 

 about and feeding in a broad valley covered with thorn 

 trees and aloes* 



This herd was a small one, consisting of one bull and 

 six cows. Throwing up some sand to find the direction 

 of the wind, I took Khaliffa with me, and creeping cautiously 

 up towards the bull, who was standing a little apart from 

 the others, was about to take the temple shot when I was 

 startled by a report of a rifle close to my ear. 



Turning sharply round, I found myself close to 

 a cow elephant, who, with trunk curled up, ears 

 thrown forward, and trumpeting furiously, was not five 

 yards away. Instantly it struck me that our only safety 

 lay in showing a bold front, for a shot at such close quarters 

 unless instantly fatal, or any movement on our part would, 

 I knew, only provoke a charge. 



So whispering to Khaliffa to stand firm, we stood 

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