546 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



about twenty, with several little ones in their wake, were 

 upon us, striding at their utmost speed, and trumpeting 

 loudly with uplifted heads. I rested my rifle against the 

 tree, and firing behind the shoulder of the leader, she dropped 

 instantly. Another large detachment being close behind us at 

 the same moment, we were compelled to retreat, dodging from 

 tree to tree, stumbling amongst sharp stones, and ever coming 

 upon fresh parties of the enemy. This scene of ludicrous 

 confusion did not long continue, and soon approaching the 

 prostrate lady, we put an end to her struggles by a shot in 

 the forehead. Andries now came up in high good humor at 

 his achievements, and in the most bravado manner, discharged 

 his piece into the dead carcass, under the pretence that the 

 animal was shamming. His object evidently was to confound 

 the shots, for, thrusting his middle finger into the orifice 

 made by my two-ounce ball, he with the most modest assurance 

 declared himself the author of the deed, being pleased 

 altogether to overlook the fact of the mortal shot having 

 entered the elephant on the side opposite to that on which 

 he was stationed, and that his own ball, whether designedly 

 or not, had all but expended my worthy and esteemed fellow- 

 traveller. 



On our way to the camp, of the exact position of which 

 we were uncertain, in consequence of the late inundation, we 

 passed three other large herds of elephants. One of these 

 standing directly in the route, we attacked it, and pursued 

 the fugitive about a mile over loose stones. Much has been 

 said of the attachment of elephants to their young, but neither 

 on this, nor on any subsequent occasion, did we perceive 

 them evince the smallest concern for their safety. On the 

 contrary, they left them to shift for themselves, and Mohany- 

 com and Lingap, who were behind us, assagaied one, the 

 tail of which they brought in. We slew another old female 

 as we ascended the brow of an eminence, and at the same 

 moment perceived our wagons within a few hundred yards of 



