ELEPHANT HUNTING. 557 



densest parts of the cover, he caught up the red dust with 

 his trunk, and throwing it over his head and back, endeavored 

 to conceal himself in a cloud. This was a fine opportunity 

 to pour in my deadly shafts, and I took care to avail myself 

 of it. When he had received about twelve shots, he walked 

 slowly forward in a dying state, the blood streaming from 

 his trunk. I rode close up to him, and gave him a sharp 

 right and left from the saddle : he turned and walked a few 

 yards, then suddenly came down with tremendous violence on 

 his vast stern, pitching his head and trunk aloft to a pro- 

 digious height, and, falling heavily over on his side, expired. 

 This was an extremely large and handsome elephant, decidedly 

 the finest bull I had shot this year. Afraid of taking cold 

 or rheumatism, for I was in a most profuse perspiration, I 

 hastened back to my fireside, having first secured all the dogs 

 in their couples. Here I divested myself of my leather 

 tro'wsers, shooting-belt, and veldt-schoens, and, stretched on 

 my kaross, I took tea, and wondered at the facility with 

 which I had captured this mighty elephant. 



Feeling fatigued, I intended to lie down and rest till 

 morning. Just, however, as I was arranging my saddles 

 for a pillow, I beheld another first-rate old bull elephant 

 advancing up the vley from the south. I at once resolved 

 that he, too, should run the gauntlet with the dogs. In 

 immense haste, therefore, I once more pulled on my old 

 leathers, and buckled on my shooting-belt, and ran down 

 into the rank long grass beside the fountain to meet him, 

 armed with the large two-grooved rifle, having directed Carey 

 and Piet to come slowly up with the dogs and my horse and 

 gun as soon as they were ready. The elephant came on, and 

 stood drinking within thirty yards of me. When I saw 

 Carey coming on with the dogs and steed, I fired, but my 

 rifle hung fire. The shot, however, gave the dogs good 

 courage, and they fought well. The elephant took away 

 at a rapid pace toward the other fountain where the Bechu- 



I 



