Elephant Shooting. 99 



one man carrying an extra rifle, I made a detour, 

 got on to a ledge of rocks above the amorous 

 brute and well within twenty yards. He had 

 heard us, although he pretended to be unconscious 

 of our presence, for every now and then a furtive 

 glance was cast in our direction. Yet he did not 

 attempt to get away, as he could easily have 

 done, for there was a narrow and densely-wooded 

 gorge close by him. Vicious he looked. I could not 

 get nearer without leaving my coign of vantage, 

 although the distance was longer than I cared for. 

 But my rifles were accurate loaded with heavy 

 charges and hardened bullets, ten to the pound. 

 Now ordinary aiming alone will not do in elephant 

 shooting ; you must get the requisite angle ; without 

 it, it is almost useless to fire. Every now and then I 

 could see the point at the back of the ear which is 

 generally fatal if hit ; but he flopped his ears back- 

 wards and forwards, raised his trunk, and looked as 

 solid as a rock. Then he would recommence to 

 smash the stalks of the plantains across his foot, and 

 when they became pulp to thrust them down his 

 capacious throat. He showed his contempt for us 

 in every way he could. I raised the rifle, waited for 

 the ears to be moved forward, and as soon as the back 

 was visible, fired. I had put in too much powder; 

 the recoil was very unpleasant, and what was worse, I 

 failed to hit the mark I had aimed at, and only in- 

 flicted a painful wound. He spun round, tore up 

 the ground with his fore feet, tossed his huge trunk 

 about like the arms of a windmill, and came at me 

 like a demon. To fire down at the front head shot 

 was useless, nor could he well get at me, for the ledge 



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