SHOOTING EXPERIENCES. 34-J 



an ant-hill, and had my rifle in rest at my side. 

 Having arrived at within less than a dozen paces of 

 my ambush, the animal stopped short. That pause 

 proved his death-warrant, for, the next instant, a 

 well-directed ball pierced his heart. Turning 

 sharply round, and staggering forward about fifty 

 paces, he came heavily to the ground, a lifeless 

 mass. He proved a very fine elephant. 



After a while his companion, who had retreated 

 on hearing the report of the gun, again made his 

 appearance, and I was flattering myself would give 

 me a chance of a broadside ; but just then, owing 

 to a sudden shift of wind, he got scent of me, and 

 was off in double quick time. As he was retreat- 

 ing, however, I pulled the trigger, and with good 

 effect, for he was next morning found dead at only 

 a short distance from the spot where he had received 

 the wound. 



On discharging this last shot I was in a sitting 

 posture, and the recoil of the rifle fairly knocked 

 me head over heels, disabling at the same time my 

 right shoulder, which generally, on hunting excur- 

 sions, was protected by a pad ; but this, on the pre- 

 sent occasion, had been accidentally left behind at 

 the bivouac. My gun was then charged with twelve 

 drachms of powder, but afterwards I never ex- 

 ceeded nine-and-a-half, and found, by experience, 

 that quantity amply sufficient. 



To say nothing of the excruciating pain I suffered 

 in my shoulder, I was also much hurt in the chest. 

 Nevertheless, I remained for a while longer at my 

 post, and was well rewarded for my patience, as the 



