104 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



necessitated my tracking him very slowly and 

 cautiously through the dense cover once more. 

 Shortly afterwards, we again came out into the 

 open, and seizing the opportunity afforded by this 

 favourable circumstance, I dropped the monster (he 

 was the largest of the three) with a brain-shot right 



THE DEAD MONSTER 



through the forehead. A most extraordinary inci- 

 dent now occurred : just as the elephant fell, one of 

 his companions, who was some distance on the other 

 side of him, at once doubled back and, approaching 

 his fallen friend, gave him a couple of tremendous 

 prods with his tusks. 1 was thunderstruck, and can 

 only explain the brute's action as an attempt to 

 rouse his comrade, in order that he might escape the 



