v GETTING UP TO HIM 147 



does not forget in a hurry. Great, grave - looking 

 elephants were seen in every direction, and straight 

 before me, not 12 yards off, stood, I suppose I may 

 safely say, one of the largest animals in the world ! 

 " He's only got one tusk ! " whispered old Hamilton 

 over my shoulder. This was the case sure enough, but 

 what a tusk that single one was ! White, smooth, and 

 massive ; it was an object that any sportsman might well 

 look at with a watering mouth and a trembling hand. 

 There was no time for extravagant deliberation : a 

 cunning, wise old cow was looking straight in our 

 direction, and looked to me uncommonly inclined to 

 be disagreeable, so motioning to Hamilton I was about 

 to commence hostilities, I clutched the old steel tight 

 and crawled towards, and a little to the left of, the old 

 elephant. I should have mentioned before that the 

 old fellow's quarters were turned to the tree, conse- 

 quently, in order to get a correct shot at the head, I 

 should have to get well round to his left somehow or 

 other. On his right, as I have before mentioned, were 

 his wives and children. There was not a bush the size 

 of a hat to cover me, and I had to get down low in 

 the grass and creep along as best I could. It was 

 rather nervous work I must own ; every second I 

 expected to be discovered, and in the confusion it 

 would have been difficult to escape, to say nothing of 

 the probabilities of a deliberate charge, which my 

 friend the old cow seemed meditating seriously. But 

 that tusk I was determined to possess, and so putting 

 all thoughts about " chance " and " probability " in my 

 pocket, I shrunk into as small a space as possible and 

 gave my whole mind to the stalk. 



As soon as I was far enough round, I rose suddenly 

 from the grass, and I really believe the first thing that 

 gave the elephants alarm was the report of old Purdey, 



L 



