-> Elephant-Hunting 



was out of range, and I could but marvel at the rate 

 they went at. I turned now to the fallen bull, not yet 

 quite dead. In a few moments my camera was in position, 

 and I was able to take several photographs of the animal. 

 There was now no time to lose. While I saw that all 

 the others of my party came up, I gave orders for the head 

 of the elephant to be skinned and his teeth got out ; and 

 then chose six of the strongest of 'my men to continue the 

 hunt with me. The others I ordered to remain near 

 the dead elephant and next day to carry the skin of its 

 head and its teeth to camp, regretting much that, owing 

 to the distance and the scanty number of my men, it 

 was not practicable to prepare the entire skin. 



The small amount of water now available I required 

 for my six followers, and I set out a few moments later 

 somewhat too hurriedly, for all the ropes were left behind, 

 an oversight we had to pay dearly for the same day. 



We followed now on the new elephant-tracks. Both 

 the cows that had been shot bled profusely, but 

 kept on their way with the others, and after pursuing 

 them for about an hour and a half I came upon them all 

 again shortly before sunset, grouped in an imposing 

 mass, the males and females apart as before, underneath 

 acacia-trees, on a part of the velt offering practically 

 no cover. Motionless, but for the swinging of their ears 

 to and fro, they stood there a great solid, impressive mass, 

 coloured a reddish-brown by their mud-baths and sand- 

 baths. In the glow of the sunset they presented just 

 the same picture they had in the morning. 



I was able to get to within i 50 paces of them ; on this 



179. 



