148 WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 



to come back without doing anything, either 

 because the wind would not let me get up to them 

 with any chance of success, or because I could 

 not get at any that I thought worth shooting. 

 But twice I went for them. The first time, after 

 waiting about all day and trying in several directions, 

 I at last was lucky enough to get in and kill four 

 bulls, but poor ones — ^the best only about 50 lbs. 

 per tusk. There was no particular excitement — 

 nothing much beyond the average, I mean ; though 

 there is, I truly tell you, always when you go for 

 them in earnest, and not merely pick off an odd 

 straggler when opportunity offers, a considerable 

 amount of risk about the business. I alwaj^-s feel 

 when I get back to camp, ' Safely through another 

 day.' The last time I got on terms with a herd, 

 after, as I say, many hard and fruitless days and 

 much forbearance, through a reluctance to shoot 

 anything not of good weight, I felt desperate, and 

 said to myself, ' Well, I mean to get some to-day, 

 anyhow; the best I can, of course, but I must go 

 for them and get all I can.' I went in, and I had 

 a hottish time. I killed ten — all small ivory, I 

 regret to say — ^but I wish some of those superior 

 sportsmen who call one ' butcher ' and ' slaughterer ' 

 and other pretty names when expressing (theoretical) 

 opinions on such work could have tried it for once. 

 I make no profession to be anything but a humble 

 hunter — I rather dislike the title of ' sportsman ' ; 

 I never know quite what is meant by it. But as 

 to butchery, one is just as likely to be made into 

 sausage-meat as the poor little elephants. Several 

 times was I nearly trampled on; and whether 

 accidentally or of malice prepense would make but 



