A Jungle Trip. 2S5 



a steep, rocky hill, when we suddenly observed two 

 elephants approaching along the side of the very hill 

 that we had just left. Had we remained in the centre 

 of the hill, we should have met them as they advanced. 

 One was a large female, and the other was most proba- 

 bly her calf, being little more than half-grown. 



It was a beautiful sight to see the caution with which 

 they advanced, and we lay down to watch them without 

 being seen. They were about 200 yards from us, and, 

 as they slowly advanced along the steep hillside they 

 occasionally halted, and, with their trunks thrown up in 

 the air, they endeavored, but in vain, to discover the 

 enemy that had so recently disturbed them. We had 

 the wind all right, and we now crept softly up the hill, 

 so as to meet them at right angles. The hillside was 

 a mass of large rocks overgrown and concealed by the 

 high lemon grass, and it was difficult to move without 

 making a noise or falling into the cavities between the 

 rocks. 



I happened to be at the head of our line, and, long 

 before I expected the arrival of the elephants, I heard 

 a rustling in the grass, and the next moment I saw the 

 large female passing exactly opposite me, within five 

 or six paces. I was on half-cock at the time, as the 

 ground was dangerous to pass over with a gun on full 

 cock, but I was just quick enough to knock her over 

 before the high grass should conceal her at another step. 

 She fell in a small chasm, nearly upsetting the young 

 elephant, who was close behind her. Wortley killed 

 him while I took the last kick out of the old one by 

 another shot, as she was still moving. 



We had thus only killed three elephants out of the 

 herd, and, without seeing more, we returned to ths horses. 



