334 THE ELEPHANT. 



from the giant grasp of the enemy, and started off 

 at full speed, though minus the saddle, which the 

 beast bore away in triumph. 



Another danger to which the mounted hunter is 

 exposed, is the possible unmanageableness of his 

 horse, of which Gordon Gumming gives us a notable 

 instance. After telling us that " he had placed two 

 balls in the body of one of a small troop of female 

 elephants, and that the wounded animal subse- 

 quently dropped astern of the rest, and next mo- 

 ment was surrounded by the dogs, which, barking 

 angrily, engrossed her attention," he goes on to 

 say: 



" Having placed myself between the maimed ele- 

 phant and the retreating troop, I dismounted within 

 forty yards of her, in open ground ; and " Coles- 

 berg," being extremely frightened, gave me much 

 trouble, jerking my arm when I tried to fire. At 

 length I let fly ; but, on endeavouring to regain 

 the saddle, my horse would not allow me to mount ; 

 and when I tried to lead him and run for it, he 

 backed towards the enemy. At this moment I 

 heard another elephant close behind me, and look- 

 ing about, beheld " the friend," the one that had pre- 

 viously shown regard for its wounded comrade, with 

 uplifted trunk, charging down upon me at top 

 speed, trumpeting shrilly, and following an old 

 deaf pointer named Schwart, that trotted along 

 before her. I felt certain she would have either 

 me or the horse ; nevertheless, I determined not to 

 relinquish my steed, and held on by the bridle. 

 My men, who, of course, kept at a safe distance, 



