FIRST EXPEDITION TO EAST AFRICA 99 



the beast was about ten yards from me, and 

 fired at him with the '577 cordite rifle. The 

 elephant vanished, and Judd was unable to 

 fire again; but, by the turmoil in the forest, it 

 was clear that the shot had knocked the elephant 

 over, and that he was trying to rise. Eventually 

 he recovered his feet and bolted. We followed 

 the track, on which there was plenty of blood. 

 We met a young elephant, and then a cow elephant 

 and a calf, which we avoided ; and then, as we 

 were following the track through bamboos, a 

 cow elephant came crashing through the bamboos 

 in our direction. Judd said : " Hullo ! what 

 have we got here ? " and when the head of the 

 elephant appeared facing us, with both ears 

 extended, he raised his rifle and fired. I did 

 the same ; and, as the four shots rang out, the 

 elephant sank down dead in her tracks. One 

 of my bullets struck the animal's forehead above 

 the eye and glanced off. The other bullet and 

 both of Judd's bullets struck the animal between 

 the eyes. 



I paced the distance from us at which the 

 dead elephant was lying ; and it was 17 yards. 

 It is possible that the elephant merely intended 

 to have a look at us ; but she was too near and her 

 attitude was too threatening to permit of our 

 giving her the benefit of the doubt. 



Cow-elephants, however, could only be shot in 

 self-defence, and Judd was rather put off by the 

 incident. It was also becoming late, and he 

 accordingly suggested that we should return 

 to camp, and follow the track of the wounded 

 bull in the morning. In the night heavy rain 



