140 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



up went the tail, and down he came like a gigantic bat, 

 ten feet across. Pinned above and on either side, by dis- 

 mounting I could neither hope to escape nor to kill my 

 opponent. I therefore lugged my unfortunate animal round 

 and urged him along ; but I had not taken into account 

 with what great difficulties and how slowly I had followed the 

 bull. He was now in full charge, and the small trees and 

 bush gave way before him like reeds, whereas I was com- 

 pelled to keep my head lowered as before and try and 

 hold the path, such as it was, up which we had come. I 

 was well mounted, and my spurs were sharp. Battered and 

 torn by branch and thorn I managed a kind of gallop, but 

 it was impossible to keep it up. The elephant thundered 

 straight through obstacles we were obliged to go round, and 

 in fifty yards we were fast in a thick bush and he within 

 fifteen of us. As a last chance I tried to get off, but in 

 rolling round on my saddle my spur gored the pony's flank, 

 and the elephant screaming over him at the same moment, he 

 made a convulsive effort and freed himself, depositing me in a 

 sitting position immediately in front of the uplifted forefoot of 

 the charging bull. So near was it that I mechanically opened 

 my knees to allow him to put it down, and, throwing myself 

 back, crossed my hands upon my chest, obstinately puffing 

 myself out with the idea of trying to resist the gigantic tread, or 

 at all events of being as troublesome to crush as possible. I 

 saw the burly brute from chest to tail as he passed directly over 

 me lengthways, one foot between my knees, and one fourteen 

 inches beyond my head, and not a graze ! Five tons at least ! 

 As he turned from chasing the pony which, without my weight 

 and left to its own instinct, escaped easily to my after-rider's 

 horse he swept by me on his way to rejoin his companions, 

 and I got another snap shot at his shoulders. As soon as I 

 could I followed his spoor, but must have changed it in the 

 thick bush, for in five minutes I had run into and killed a fresh 

 elephant in a small open space. The Bushmen found the first, 

 next morning, dead. 



