SUCCESSFUL HUNT. 319 



shrill shriek announced that the bullet had been 

 well aimed, and immediately afterwards the stricken 

 animal disappeared, but not for long, as I soon 

 a<*ain sighted him. Owing, however, to a sudden 



o o o 



change in his position whilst I was taking aim, and 

 to the great distance, my second bullet seemed not 

 to harm him greatly, for though I had reason to 

 believe he was again hit, yet he turned quietly 

 round, peered deliberately in all directions with his 

 small, sinister-looking eyes, and before I had re- 

 loaded was once more lost to view. 



I had not, however, proceeded more than a dozen 

 paces, when I caught a glimpse of the rump of an 

 elephant as it was disappearing behind a large tree, 

 environed by tall and thick bushes. Taking it for 

 granted that this was the wounded one, i approach- 

 ed the spot with the utmost circumspection ; and 

 it was well I did so, for I had no sooner fairly 

 rounded the tree in question than I discovered the 

 creature, then obliquely facing me, rubbing his hide 

 against the bushes. On seeing me, he at once drew 

 back a step or two, preparing to charge, when a 

 well-directed bullet, lodged in his right shoulder, 

 changed instantly his intended rush into a precipi- 

 tate flight. This shot so effectually crippled him, 

 however, that, by taking a short cut, 1 presently 

 managed to intercept his retreat; a second bullet 

 brought him to a stand-still, whilst a third, fired 

 almost immediately afterwards, stretched him on 

 the ground a corpse. 



The whole hunt scarcely occupied ten minutes, 

 and I naturally felt gratified at its speed}' and suc- 

 cessful termination. Still, on a nearer inspection 



