HUNTING THE ELEPHANT 



from whom they would run away in terror should they 

 meet him in the wilderness. 



Two days later the two bulls were back in their 

 favorite stand, where they spent the night. At sunrise 

 they left the low land and moved again up towards 

 the mountain forests. The wind being favorable, I 

 determined to try my luck again. With some natives 

 I took my European taxidermist, Mr. Orgeich, with me, 

 hoping to kill at least one of the bulls and to prepare 

 the whole skin on the spot. We followed, hot and 

 dripping with perspiration, the tracks of the animals 

 through the dense thicket. After an hour we saw 

 them at the swampy bottom of a deep ravine. The 

 wind shifted and they became aware of our presence. 

 We saw them disappear in the high plants on the op- 

 posite edge of the ravine. Should I allow the animals 

 to escape with their precious load of ivory? Their 

 tusks must have weighed about two hundred and 

 hfty pounds each. We crossed the swampy ravine, 

 but the bulls had too great a start. Yet we plunged 

 into the thick undergrowth of the forest and struggled - 

 along for hours, but in vain. I finally gave up the pur- 

 suit, tired to death and faint at heart with disappoint- 

 ment. I presented a strange spectacle; my hands and 

 face were torn by the bushes and my skin and scanty 

 clothing were covered with a layer of mud. I could 

 not help smiling at myself and thinking of the time, 

 many years ago, when I looked equally dirty, but red 



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