SINGLE ELEPHANTS TO BE AVOIDED. 151 





He had taken up the mangled body of poor Mabili, and 

 was slowly walking away with it, held by his trunk ; when 

 I wounded him, he dropped the body, and, giving one 

 of his shrill trumpets, came at me. I did not care much 

 for him now, as I could gallop away from him easily, and, 

 loading quickly, repeated the dose. Six double shots did 

 I give that fellow all about the shoulder before he showed 

 any sign of their hurting him; he then seemed a little 

 weak, and sent a good deal of blood out of his trunk. 

 I was determined to kill that elephant, if I followed him 

 for a week. Upon giving him three more shots, he swung 

 his trunk about a little and fell. 



" I now looked for the remains of my Kaffir, and 

 found him crushed to pieces; his death must have been 

 quick, as a tusk had gone quite through him, breaking in 

 his chest. 



" We buried him next day under the tree near which 

 we had first seen the elephant. This man was the best 

 hunting Kaffir I ever had. Always take care how you 

 go near single bull-elephants they are always very 

 savage: but of all things mind cow-elephants without 

 tusks ; they are not common, but if you do come across a 

 'poes-kop' like this, 'pas-op' (take care)." 



Many other tales were told at the time, in which I took 

 great interest. The place was a good one in which to 

 listen to such stirring relations, and they were told with- 

 out any wish of boasting or display, but merely related 

 as by no means unusual occurrences to those present. 

 Another story was told, which I remember, from the 

 visible proof that was given me of the relator's veracity. 



