566 ifcinas of tbe 1Rofc, IRffle, ant) 0un 



paces from him. That very moment he stopped, and 

 turning round, he beat the grass about with his trunk, 

 and commenced a strict search for me. I heard him 

 advancing close to the spot where I lay as still as 

 death, knowing that my last chance lay in concealment. 

 I heard the grass rustling close to me ; closer and 

 closer he approached, and he at length beat the grass 

 with his trunk several times exactly above me. I held 

 my breath, momentarily expecting to find his ponderous 

 foot upon me. Although I had not felt the sensation 

 of fear while I had stood opposed to him, I felt like 

 what I never wish to feel again while he was deliberately 

 hunting me up. Fortunately I had reserved my fire 

 until the rifle almost touched him, for the powder 

 and smoke had nearly blinded him and had spoiled 

 his acute power of scent. To my joy I heard the 

 rustling of the grass grow fainter; again I heard it 

 at a still greater distance ; at length it was gone ! 



At that time I thought that half my bones were 

 broken, as I was numbed from head to foot by the 

 force of the blow. His charge can only be compared 

 to a blow from a railway engine going at twenty 

 miles an hour. 



Not expecting to be able to move, I crept to my 

 hands and knees. To my delight there were no bones 

 broken, and with a feeling of thankfulness I stood 

 erect. I with difficulty reached a stream of water 

 near the spot, in which I bathed my leg, but in a 

 few minutes it swelled to the size of a man's waist." 



Yet this rough handling did not daunt the in- 

 domitable hunter. Two days later he was on the 



