258 After Big Game in Central Africa 



circuit of it, and see the herd already in flight 

 well out of range. At the speed they are going the 

 wounded male cannot be accompanying them; besides, 

 there is no blood on the track. It must, therefore, 

 be in the thicket. I return there, and, advancing with 

 great precaution in the gloom, distinguish immediately 

 at a distance of ten yards, in the midst of dense 

 vegetation, one of the animal's ears nothing more. 

 Nevertheless, I see that the animal is not lying in 

 the direction in which its companions have gone : it 

 has turned round and faces me : so it is impossible for 

 me to advance on the spoor. It is probably on the 

 watch, ready to sell its life as dearly as possible. 



On account of the wind, I could not think of taking 

 the animal in the rear. The track must, therefore, be 

 abandoned, and the animal reached from one side. 

 In order to do so, a passage had to be made through 

 vegetation so thick that you could advance only by 

 passing through it first of all your arms and rifle, 

 then your head and body, and finally your legs. 

 A charge amid such circumstances meant certain 

 death : so I take care not to get too near. By taking 

 a thousand precautions, I get within fifteen yards of 

 the elephant in half an hour's time ; but the branches 

 and foliage are so thick that its head, shoulder, and 

 crupper are hidden all I can see is its back and part 

 of its stomach. I move to one side, therefore, so as 

 to fire on the slant, aiming at the animal's side in 

 order to reach the heart. The elephant not moving 

 in response to the bullet from the 8-bore, I fire 

 another, and yet a third. Kambombe informs me 



