xxxiv A FEW DAYS' HUNTING 301 



off, I put five split *3O3's into him without the 

 slightest effect, and disappointed and very angry, 

 returned to find my carriers coming to look for 

 their dead master, my tracker following somewhat 

 cautiously in the rear with my "500 cordite rifle. 

 After giving him a luminous homily on the wicked- 

 ness of deserting at a critical moment with his 

 master's rifle, I severely boxed his ears, and taking 

 the weapon from him, and accompanied by another 

 of my men, I followed up the wounded elephant. 

 That night, we were obliged to sleep on the spoor, 

 but about nine o'clock, next morning, came up with 

 the animal quietly feeding, as if nothing untoward 

 had occurred on the previous day. As he presented 

 a back view, I aimed a little above the root of his 

 tail, and the bullet, crashing into his spine, brought 

 him to his haunches. A second bullet gave him 

 the coup de grace. His tusks, which were of 

 beautiful ivory, weighed 87 and 91 Ibs., respectively. 

 During the night following the death of the 

 above elephant, I was awakened by a yell of pain 

 from my guide, Nepaha, sleeping some twenty or 

 thirty yards away from me, and on rising and 

 inquiring what had happened, found that a hyaena 

 had bitten off his right ear. I thoroughly disin- 

 fected the wound and bandaged it up, and though 

 poor Nepaha's looks were not enhanced by his loss, 

 he was quite well again in about a month's time. 



