TWO DOWN 135 



feeling confident, I refused the temple shot as she 

 approached, the ear shot as she was level with me, but 

 taking most exact angle for the brain, I let fly for the 

 back of the ear shot. All was perfect this time ; with 

 one shrill trumpet she rolled over on her side, and 

 was dead immediately. I was not quick enough for 

 the second. She turned so sharp and made off, leaving 

 nothing but her quarters to fire at. Up I jumped on 

 the dead elephant ; I did not fancy myself at all such 

 a bad fellow at that moment. After examining her 

 for a moment or so, I determined to send for her tusks 

 (pegs properly called), which were unusually perfect for 

 a cow, the next day, and to spend the remaining part of 

 the day looking for bison ; it was about 10.30 o'clock. 

 Making off back on the tracks of the dead elephant, 

 we had not gone 200 yards when straight before me, 

 passing at right angles, I saw the backs of a line of 

 elephants (it was the same herd ; I had headed them 

 in following the wounded one quite unintentionally). 

 With Purdey in my hand I took three or four steps 

 forward to a tree. The elephants strode on unconsci- 

 ously. Running my eye along the line, I fixed on the 

 leader, and judging the angle with care, dropped her 

 stone dead in her tracks with a ball in the orifice of the 

 ear. At the downfall of their general the whole herd 

 broke into confusion, and rushed back with shrill 

 trumpeting the way they had come ; but I was too 

 quick for them this time. As they turned, with the 

 second barrel I rolled over a great cow as she was 

 making off at full speed, with the shot at the back of 

 the ear. A most extraordinary scene ensued. This 

 second elephant was dropped on a very great slant, and 

 away she went rolling down the hill. Everything gave 

 way before her awful weight. A great tall skinny tree, 

 about 1 6 inches diameter, was mowed down like grass. 



