SHOOT A TROUBLESOME FEMALE. 113 



point near the gate, where they could see the final drive into the enclosure 

 from a place of safety. 



The elephants, however, when near the entrance, made a stand, and re- 

 fused to proceed ; and finally, headed by a determined female, turned upon 

 the beaters and threatened to break back down an open glade. P. and I 

 intercepted them, and most of them hesitated ; but the leading female, the 

 mother of the albino calf, which had been evilly disj)osed from the begin- 

 ning, rushed down upon me, as I happened to be directly in her path, with 

 shrill screams, followed by four or five others, which, however, advanced less 

 boldly. AVhen within five yards I floored her with my 8 -bore Greener and 

 1 drams ; but though the heavy ball liit the right spot between the eyes, 

 the shot was not fatal, as the head was carried in a peculiar position, and 

 the bullet passed under the brain. The elephant fell to the shot, almost 

 upon me, when P. fired, and I gave her my second barrel, which in the 

 smoke missed her head, but took effect in her chest, and must have pene- 

 trated to the region of the heart, as a heavy jet of blood spouted forth when 

 she rose. Probably one of the large arteries was cut by this shot. The 

 poor beast moved off a few paces and halted, a stream of blood issuing in a 

 parabolic curve from her chest, and making a loud gushing sound as a pool 

 was formed in front of her. For some moments she swayed from side to 

 side, and then fell over with a deep groan, to rise no more. This was a 

 painful scene ; the elephant had only acted in defence of her young ; but 

 shooting her was unavoidable, as our lives, as well as those of the beaters, 

 were in jeopardy. 



The next scene partook of the ridiculous. The herd had dispersed and 

 regained its original position. The little albino calf, seeing P., screamed 

 wildly, and with ears extended and tail aloft chased him. He, wishing to 

 save it, darted round the trees, but was near coming to grief, as he tripped 

 and fell. The result might have been disastrous had I not given the 

 pertinacious youngster a telling butt in the head with my 8-bore. His 

 attention was next turned to a native, who took to his heels when he found 

 that three smart blows with a club on the head had little effect. After 

 some severe struggles, in which a few natives were floored, the calf was at 

 last secured to a tree by a native's waistcloth and a jungle-creeper. 



While all this took place the beat became thoroughly disorganised. 

 When the elephant had charged P. and me, our men had given way, and 

 the herd regained its origiuial position at the extreme east end of the 

 cover. After a short delay we beat it up again to the spot near the gate 

 from which it had broken back. The elephants here formed a dense mob, 

 and began moving round and round in a circle, hesitating to cross the newly- 



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