REMINISCENCES 



which had failed owing to unsuitability of soil, and 

 which had therefore been abandoned, a dense 

 growth of young bamboo having sprung up all 

 over it. This thicket adjoined the forest in which 

 the bull had disappeared. All of a sudden, a forest 

 peon who was with me pointed forwards, and there, 

 close in front, was the head of the bull standing 

 staring at us. I fired a solid bullet from the '500 

 express, hoping to brain him ; but off he dashed, 

 and I ran through the thick bamboo growth in the 

 direction in which he had gone, angry with myself 

 for firing a head-shot, and scarcely hoping to see 

 the animal again. Imagine my delight when I 

 saw the bull rolling over and over down the hill- 

 side above us ! He would soon have got up again' 

 however, had I not got in close to him as quickly 

 as possible, whereupon two body-shots from the 

 4-bore, and another from the '500 express, finished 

 him off. 



The bull must, after running for some distance, 

 have become giddy from the effects of the head- 

 shot, and as he fell on a steep slope, he rolled till 

 he came to fairly level ground. Altogether the 

 bagging of this bull was a piece of extraordinarily 

 good luck. 



THE BULL WHO DIDN*T CHARGE 



Twice in one day I have had different animals, 

 viz., an elephant and a bison, run almost over me, 

 though neither of them had the slightest intention 

 of fighting. A novice would have considered that 

 he had been charged by both ! The elephant 

 F 65 



