A THRILLING CHARGE 205 



about twelve or fourteen inches long, but the fact 

 that its breasts showed no signs of milk fullness led 

 me to hope that it was a young bull, and I deter- 

 mined to act on that supposition. I at once advanced 

 with my big gun in readiness. The two largest ele- 

 phants at the same moment whirled around and 

 started swiftly toward us. I rested my gun against 

 the side of a small tree and after their onward rush 



They Whirled Around 



had brought them within fifty yards I fired as Ake 

 suggested, "just between the eye and ear." The 

 animal swerved but did not fall. Akeley and 

 Stephenson fired at the big cow and under the shock 

 of their heavy shells she dropped to her knees, then 

 sprang up and came on again. Once more they 

 shot and she again went down on her knees, but got 

 up, shaking her head and turned a little to one side. 

 Stephenson started to shoot her again, but Ake 

 shouted, "Don't shoot her again. She's got 



