CRITICAL POSITION. J3 15 



though a hurried and uncertain one, took effect ; a 

 fine cow was killed by it, but her carcase was not 

 discovered till two days afterwards. On this night, 

 therefore, I " bagged " three elephants, besides 

 wounding two others. 



On another occa>ion, when the night was very 

 dark, 1 had crept to within a short distance of seven 

 bull-elephants, and was endeavouring to pick out 

 the largest, when I was startled by a peculiar 

 rumbling noise close behind me.* Springing to my 

 feet, I perceived, to my surprise and alarm, a semi- 

 circle of female elephants, with their calves, bearin r 

 down upon me. My position was critical, being 

 between two fires, so to say, and I had no other 

 choice than either to plunge into the pool, which 

 could be crossed onlv bv swimming 1 in the face of 



i/ +> 



the male elephants, or by breaking through the ranks 

 of the females. I adopted the latter alternative, 

 but first fired at the nearest of the seven bulls ; 

 and then, without a moment's delay, rushed on 

 the more open rank of the female phalanx, uttering 

 at the same time loud shouts. My cries caused a 

 momentary panic amongst the animals, of which I 

 took advantage, and slipped between them, dis- 

 charging my second barrel into the shoulder of the 

 nearest as I passed her. No sooner, however, had [ 

 effected my escape than the whole herd made a simul- 

 taneous rush at me, and trumpeted so shrillv as to 

 cause every man at the camp, as I learnt afterwards, 



* The low rumbling noise ono often hears when elephants arc 

 approaching the water, arises say the Bushmen not from the foot- 

 full of the animals, but from their stomachs. 



