54 After Big Game in Central Africa 



moment she stops and rubs her back against the 

 trunk of a fula. I go towards her, hiding myself 

 behind a trunk, for the grass is only a foot high, 

 and, with a final glance, sum up the situation. A 

 little farther away than my old female, and in a line 

 with her, is another elephant; and on my left a 

 third, which has its hindquarters towards me, has 

 stopped. My plan is to shoot first at the one 

 which rubs herself, then at one of the two others, 

 according to circumstances. 



I cock my Express No. 1, draw within about ten 

 yards of the first elephant, and lodge two shots in her 

 heart. The animal on my left swings round and 

 stops. I fire two shots with my No. 2 at it also, 

 while the No. 1 is being reloaded ; and then run for- 

 ward with the latter weapon, still firing upon one 

 of the other elephants, which, however, I must have 

 hit too much in front. 



After a moment's hesitation the whole herd sets 

 off running. The first animal at which I fired, 

 without seeming to have noticed it, is ahead ; the 

 other, after a deviation to the right, has rejoined the 

 herd. We set off again in pursuit. I am certain of 

 the first animal and almost sure of the second ; as to 

 the third, I believe I have wounded it slightly on 

 the shoulder. 



After a few minutes' pursuit we find blood on the 

 track, at first in small quantities and then more- 

 and more abundant : so we begin to look about us, 

 knowing that if these animals are wounded in the 

 lungs the shot has told. They are standing upright. 



