UNSUCCESSFUL SHOT. 87 



in doubt, the discovery of my hat would have settled 

 the question ; it had been knocked out of the path, and 

 its broad brim was smashed considerably. No doubt the 

 big elephant, in his charge, had accidentally trodden on 

 it, and kicked it on one side. 



We went to the spot on which M 's elephant had 



stood. I certainly was disappointed to find that he had not 

 even fallen on receiving the shot. None but an expe- 

 rienced eye could tell that anything extraordinary had 

 even taken place here; but both Kaffirs and Hottentot 

 at once saw, by the traces, all that had happened. These 

 sharp-sighted savages pointed to the spot from whence 



M had fired, and then to where the elephant had 



stood. They said he had turned round and rushed head- 

 long towards the smoke of M 's gun. He there 



stopped, and then slowly retreated, keeping himself away 

 from the remainder of the herd. 



We followed his traces, and soon found blood, both on 

 the leaves and branches, as also on the ground, but not 

 in such large quantities as I should have supposed. We 

 followed this spoor for some distance ; but the blood soon 

 ceasing, and the wounded elephant's traces being crossed 

 by other feet, we saw no more of him. 



We discovered, however, that, during our advance on the 

 previous day, we had passed three elephants within fifty 

 yards without being aware of their vicinity. The noise 

 which we had heard and the rumbling sounds were caused 

 by them. They thought it prudent to remain nearly still; 

 imd their plan was successful, as they were undiscovered 

 bv us. 



