BULLET AND SHOT 



side to side, and looking very shaky. I had but 

 two more cartridges left in my pocket, and I now 

 put these into the rifle, and fired again. For the 

 third time both barrels went off, and immediately 

 after the report the elephant came down upon me. 

 I was now quite defenceless, and had to run for 

 it, which I did obliquely, turning a bamboo clump, 

 round which, to my horror, the rogue followed me. 

 I then set off at my best pace down the most open 

 glade which I could see, the elephant gaining on 

 me at every stride, when I suddenly saw H. stand- 

 ing behind a bamboo clump, whose shelter he had 

 gained after he ran away upon the elephant's 

 attempting to rise. I thought, of course, that he 

 must have reloaded, and making a final effort, I 

 reached the clump, with the elephant almost on my 

 heels, and turning it sharp, pulled up beside him. 

 The elephant stopped for a moment, H. said, and 

 twisted his trunk about to smell, but fortunately he 

 had received sufficient punishment ; for, having lost 

 sight of me, he went on at a great pace, and crossed 

 the frontier into Coorg. H., I found, was still 

 unloaded, and he told me that his cases had stuck, 

 so it was lucky that the rogue did not prosecute 

 a search for me. I was somewhat amused at H. 

 asking me (rather indignantly) what I had come to 

 his clump for ! 



Now here was a case in which, in my ignorance 

 and inexperience, I had made a great mess of it ; but 

 then it should be remembered that had I killed that 

 rogue, he would have been my first head of big game, 

 as I had not then bagged even a deer or an antelope. 



232 



