TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



retrieved next morning, being drawn to the spot by the 

 vultures. 



It was late in the afternoon, a few days after this 

 incident, that a Somali from an adjoining Karia rode in to 

 say that he had seen a very large bull elephant about a mile 

 from the camp. 



We lost no time in saddling our horses and, guided by 

 our informant, soon came in full view of the elephant, 

 crossing an open, grassy plain at a brisk trot, for he had 

 evidently seen or winded us, and was making for a thick 

 belt of jungle skirting the valley on the further side. 



Galloping hard, closely followed by Nur, I was soon 

 alongside of the bull, and firing from the saddle, gave him 

 a good shot between the shoulders, but before I had time 

 to mark the effect of the shot he wheeled suddenly round 

 and giving a shrill scream charged most determinedly, 

 chasing me for about a hundred yards, then, pulling up, 

 made for the same strip of jungle again. 



Shouting to Nur to follow me, I galloped hard to inter- 

 cept him, and after an exciting chase headed him off, 

 bringing him to a standstill facing me, about thirty yards 

 distant, looking the picture of annoyance. 



I now heard shouting to my left, and the elephant, 

 seeing Nur galloping up, turned in that direction, exposing 

 his shoulder. I fired a right and left at once, hitting him 

 fairly in the ribs, when on he came again, screaming like 

 a steam engine. 



Following every turn of my horse, I thought he would 

 have caught me, when, on reaching the strip of jungle, I 

 turned suddenly to the left and, the wind being favourable, 

 succeeded in giving him the slip. 



By this time the sun was nearly down and being utterly 

 fagged out, we made the best of our way to camp, which, 

 however, we did not reach till some hours after dark. 



The next morning we took up the tracks of the bull and 

 found him eventually, lying on his side quite dead. He 

 was a splendid old fellow, with a remarkable fine pah* of 

 tusks. I photographed him as he lay in the strong defensive 

 position to which he had finally retreated. 



We remained several days at this camp, overhauling our 

 stores, preserving our specimens, photographing the dead 

 188 



