82 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



citement, would clutch at my arm and tiy to make me 

 fire at it. Guided, however, by the experience of Baker 

 and other African sportsmen, who have found that it is 

 practically impossible to kill an African elephant by a 

 forehead shot, I was determined not to lose such a chance 

 in this way, as it was quite certain that, by remaining 

 quiet, the elephant must pass within about five yards 

 of us. Essafi's patience could not stand so severe a 

 trial, and, becoming more excited as the elephant slowly 

 but surely advanced, he made him observe us, and in- 

 stantly turn round ; but at the same time, having the 

 full power of the moon upon him, he gave me a splendid 

 broadside shot with my eight-bore. A crash, a cloud of 

 dust, and, on this clearing away, a dark passage into the 

 ravine, were for the moment the result; and one might 

 have felt inclined to believe that it had been but a dream, 

 save for the sound after a few minutes in the. distance of 

 a, retreating elephant Essafi then made signs to me 

 that there were two, mine being left behind, and as it 

 would have been clearly most dangerous to approach it 

 in the dark ravine, I accepted his suggestion of ' bookra ' 

 (to-morrow), and continued our course homewards. 



When the sun had risen we returned to the spot on 

 foot, accompanied by Vivian ; and though Essafi was 

 positive he would be dead, no elephant, alas ! could be 

 found. 



Following up his track, however, occasional pools of 



