204 THE LAND OF THE LION 



next they swayed backward. We reloaded fast as we could, 

 and I fired again at the second bull, and it was, I think, well 

 that we did so, for this seemed to decide them and they 

 rushed off. 



We ran after, fast as the high tangle allowed us, and in 

 five hundred yards came on them again, all standing head- 

 ing our way. These elephants had probably never heard a 

 gun, and this would account for their standing as they did 

 after our shooting. But by now they were very watchful, 

 evidently trying hard to make us out and get our wind. 

 But the merciful breeze kept steady. We drew up as close as 

 we dared, not nearer than seventy or eighty yards this 

 time, and tried to pick out the second wounded bull. But 

 the cows covered him, and an adventurous young bull 

 -came forward by himself, evidently bent on mischief. He 

 walked out of the herd, his trunk held high, and, looking 

 very ugly indeed, sharper-eyed than the others, he must 

 have been, for he came perfectly straight. We let him 

 come as near as we dared, for I certainly didn't want him, 

 as his tusks were much smaller than the other two. No 

 sign of turning about in him. He now saw us plainly, 

 and was coming right into us -when two bullets took him 

 full in the heart and he fell in his tracks. At his fall there 

 was more rushing hither and thither of the bewildered and 

 angered herd, and both H. and I began to wish we were in 

 sparsely wooded country, and not on a shelterless plain. 

 Nothing could, be done, absolutely nothing but to be still 

 and let them quiet down, then follow up our wounded bull. 

 As we anxiously waited, he came out our way slowly head- 

 ing to our right a very big fellow, with good ivory on one 

 side, and on the other a stumpy, heavy tusk broken off. 

 Again as crawled as near as I dared, and saw close above me 

 his great black side, I could not help thinking what a game 

 -of bluff it was, but he offered me a fine broadside, and 

 crashed down to the shot. 



