M. WAHLBERG'S PRESENTIMENT OF ms FATE. 379 



lie could always turn an elephant in his charge by 

 giving him a shot in the head, but, alas ! it seems 

 that on this occasion my unfortunate companion 

 had not even time to raise his gun to his shoulder 

 ere he was hurled to the ground and pinioned 

 between the tusks of the enraged brute. M. 

 Wahlberg's rifle was discovered broken short at the 

 stock by the elephant, as if the animal was possessed 

 of the intuitive knowledge that it was the weapon 

 employed for its destruction." 



Poor M. Wahlberg seems to have had a presenti- 

 ment of his approaching fate. In another letter 

 from his head-man, Mr. Charles Cathcart Castry, 

 also addressed to Mr. Lettcrstedt, it is thus stated : 

 " Some time previous to this awful event, M. 

 Wahlberg came one clay to me (Castry) and said, 

 ' If anything serious should befall me, I wish you to 

 take my effects, collections, &c., to Mr. Letterstedt, 

 my agent at the Cape.' On asking him why lie 

 thought he would not return home alive, he replied : 

 ' Why, I have had several narrow escapes from 

 elephants.' Upon this I remonstrated with him on 

 his apparent recklessness, and begged of him to be 

 more cautious and careful in his future dealings 

 with elephants. To this he seemed to turn a deaf 

 ear, merely remarking, ' I cannot help myself ; when 

 I get sight of the brutes, I seem to lose all appre- 

 hension.' ' 



Though M. Wahlberg's career as an African ele- 

 phant-hunter was rather a short one, I think I may 

 safely venture to affirm that the feats performed by 

 him have never been surpassed, either in daring or 



