Caught at Last. 205 



he approached, and he at length beat the grass with his 

 trunk several times exactly above me. I held my 

 breath, momentarily expecting to feel his ponderous 

 foot upon me. Although I had not felt the sensation 

 of fear while I had stood opposed to him, I felt like 

 what I never wish to feel again while he was delibe- 

 rately hunting me up. Fortunately I had reserved my 

 fire until the rifle had almost touched him, for the 

 powder and smoke had nearly blinded him and had 

 spoiled his acute power of scent. To my joy I heard 

 the rustling of the grass grow fainter ; again, I heard 

 it at a still greater distance ; at length it was gone ! 



At that time I thought that half my bones were 

 broken, as I was numbed from head to foot by the force 

 of the blow. His charge can only be compared to a 

 blow from a railway engine going at twenty miles an 

 hour. 



Not expecting to be able to move, I crept to my 

 hands and knees. To my delight there were no bones 

 broken, and with a feeling of thankfulness I stood 

 erect. I with difficulty reached a stream of water near 

 the spot, in which I bathed my leg, but in a few minutes 

 it swelled to the size of a man's waist. In this spot 

 every one had congregated and were loading their 

 guns, but the rogue had escaped. 



My cap and rifle were now hunted for, and they 

 were at length found near the spot where I had been 

 caught. The elephant had trodden on the stock of the 

 rifle, and it bears the marks of his foot to this day. 



In a few minutes I was unable to move. We there- 

 fore sent to the tent for the horses, and arrived at 6 p.m., 

 having had a hard day's work from 5 a.m. without 

 food. 



18 



