124 SAFARI 



or to run at the slightest provocation. About fifty 

 feet away he began circling to get our wind. His 

 short black tail waved stiffly in the air and his trunk 

 was out. Finally he got a sniff of us. He didn't like 

 it. He began to lash his tail and stamp the ground. 

 His trunk swung angrily to and fro. But he couldn't 

 for the life of him make up his mind to charge. When 

 about forty feet from us he ran back a few yards, then 

 whirled and came at us again. He had his head 

 held high in the peculiar way elephants have when 

 they are angry. He did this four times. 



All the while I was getting priceless films. Finally 

 the old warrior lost his nerve. I think it was the fact 

 that we did not retreat which undermined his coiirage 

 as much as anjrthing. He just turned around all 

 of a sudden and ran as fast as he could for the nearest 

 cover. 



When we got back we found that Osa had been 

 crying. Through the glasses she had seen another 

 elephant throwing water over itself from a waterhole. 

 He then came in the direction where we were making 

 pictures. He saw us photographing the other ele- 

 phant and seemed about ready to charge. Osa was 

 terrified that he would get us before we saw him. 



Not all our encounters ended so tamely. One day, 

 very early in otir African experiences, Boculy came 

 running into camp. I could tell he was excited 

 because of the way his hands moved around. He 



