56 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



attacks of flies, and that curse of the tropics, 

 mosquitoes. He was standing under the shade 

 of a large tree, nearly motionless, except for the 

 occasional flap of an enormous ear, whilst every 

 now and then, collecting a handful, or, to speak 

 correctly, a proboscisfull, of dust, he blew it over 

 his back and sides. How my heart beat ! I could 

 almost hear it. Here at last my dream of days, 

 nay, of years, was realized, and I was face to face 

 with a real wild tusker ! I was shaking so with 

 excitement, that I dared not fire ; besides, he was 

 too far to risk a shot. So I sat still for, I suppose, 

 some five minutes, which seemed hours ; then, 

 taking the ten-bore rifle from Ramiah, shaking 

 some powder into the nipples, and putting on 

 fresh caps, I again peered out to survey the 

 ground, and form my plan of attack. 



Between me and the elephant the ground was 

 almost bare of cover, but some twenty yards from 

 him was a small bush, and, between it and my 

 place of concealment, lay a couple of small rocks. 

 If I could only get up to the bush unnoticed, I 

 might have a chance, and, should fortune favour 

 me, I might manage to get some five yards nearer 

 my quarry, by gaining the shelter of a friendly 

 tree-trunk. The wind, such as there was, was in 

 my favour, and was blowing from the elephant 

 and towards me. Whispering to Ramiah to follow 



