346 THE ELEPHANT. 



to start out of his sleep. Fortunately, the darkness 

 prevented the beasts from following me, and the 

 jungle being close by, I was soon in safety. During 

 my precipitate flight, however, I severely lacerated 

 my feet; for, when "stalking" the bulls, I had 

 taken off my shoes, that I might the better steal 

 upon them. 



When, after a while, I ventured out of my place 

 of concealment, I found everything quiet, and only 

 one solitary elephant remaining. Having approached 

 within a short distance, I could distinctly see him lav- 

 ing his sides with water by means of his trunk. I im- 

 mediately suspected that ho belonged to the troop of 

 seven bulls, and was the one at which I had fired. 

 Seating myself right across his path, I quietly watched 

 his proceedings. After a time I saw him, as I thought, 

 moving off in an opposite direction. But I was 

 mistaken, for in another instant his towering form 

 loomed above me. It was too late to get out of the 

 way; so, quickly raising myself on one knee, I took 

 a steady aim at his foreleg. On receiving the ball, 

 he uttered the most plaintive cries, and rushing 

 past me, soon disappeared in the neighbouring 

 forest. The next afternoon ho was discovered dead 

 within rifle-shot of the water. It had been a very 

 successful night, for a fine female elephant had 

 fallen to my other shot. 



Though many were rny adventures and hair- 

 breadth escapes at the " screen," those that befell 

 me on the night of the 15th of July, 1853, were the 

 most remarkable. That night, indeed, will ever be 

 remembered by me as one of the most eventful 



