298 ADVENTURES OF ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. xxxiv 



only effect the bullet had was to bring the animal 

 twenty yards nearer, as if curious as to the direction 

 from which the shot had come. I could now see 

 his head perfectly, and taking advantage of the 

 opportunity, sent a bullet through his brain, which 

 dropped him instantly, while his companions, seeing 

 him fall, advanced towards him, as if puzzled as to 

 the exact nature of his behaviour. I promptly sent 

 a bullet through the heart of one who presented a 

 favourable view for the shot, and, after lumbering 

 heavily for some twenty yards through the grass, he 

 collapsed and lay still. Scared by the second shot, 

 the remaining animals cleared, so, quickly descend- 

 ing from the tree which had proved of such service, 

 I went in pursuit, only to discover, after about 

 another mile of tracking, that they had joined a 

 herd of twenty or more females who were feeding. 

 On our approach, the whole herd stampeded, 

 clearing a path through the long grass as if a troop 

 of cavalry had ridden by. Returning to where our 

 prizes lay, I got my men to chop out the tusks, 

 and as we all felt thoroughly tired, pitched camp 

 in the vicinity. The first elephant's tusks, which 

 were very thick, weighed 102 and 103!- Ibs., 

 respectively ; those of the other, only 25 Ibs., each. 

 Having heard some elephants feeding near our 

 camp during the night, we set out at dawn on 

 their tracks, and, as if to recompense me for the 



