78 ELEPHANT - HUNTING. 



or where elephants are numerous, and the country open 

 or park-like. When a herd of elephants is discovered, 

 these Boers make a plan of attack, either to drive the 

 herd of game to a better and more open country, or to 

 prevent them from retreating to the dense bushes near. 

 As soon as everything suits, they mark out the leader of the 

 troop, generally the biggest bull-elephant. They then ride 

 up as near as they dare, and give him a volley ; if he falls, 

 they can manage the remainder more easily, as, missing 

 their chief, some confusion takes place. Should he, how- 

 ever, be only wounded, turn savage, and charge, as is most 

 frequently the case, they close together, and gallop away 

 for a hundred yards or so, when, at a given signal, they 

 separate, and ride round in different directions. This 

 diversion generally puzzles the elephant, and, before he has 

 made up his mind what to do, another broadside is poured 

 into him. Two or three volleys are generally sufficient 

 to quiet the big bull. I have been assured by many 

 old elephant-hunters that they have frequently seen a 

 herd of elephants stand with their heads together, after 

 the leader has been killed, as though in despair, and they 

 would not make a rush : these may be pleasant, but are 

 undoubtedly rare, chances for the pot-hunter. Gordon 

 Cumming's plan of lying in wait for the elephants at their 

 drinking-place was a bold and successful plan. I cannot 

 but think him a very lucky man never to have had a 

 wounded bull charge him then ; had one done so, I fear 

 we should not have had his amusing lectures, or his own 

 account of his wonderful sport. 



Many methods of elephant-hunting may never have 



