180 TRACES OF THE WOUNDED ANIMAL. 



We did not give them much time to get away, but 

 followed at once to the spot from which I had fired. I had 

 no hope that my elephant would be dead; I knew the 

 tough constitution of these animals too well. I was disap- 

 pointed, however, at finding no blood, none appearing for 

 the first few yards ; I began to think that, by some strange 

 chance, I had missed him. We soon, however, saw two or 

 three drops of blood, and then more ; at length it lay about 

 as though poured from a pail. Both my Kaffirs were 

 delighted, and exclaimed that we must get him. I had not 

 much hope of so satisfactory a result, having made many 

 a weary journey without success after other elephants 

 quite as badly wounded as this. Monyosi followed the 

 spoor with great accuracy; he had taken the dimensions 

 of the feet of the wounded animal, and could therefore 

 recognize the prints on every doubtful occasion. 



We had followed about two miles in this way, when we 

 heard a loud crash in advance of us. Approaching care- 

 fully in the direction, I caught a glimpse of an elephant 

 some forty yards distant, standing in a little open space. 

 Aiming at his shoulder, I at once gave him the benefit of 

 my heavy rifle. I stooped under the smoke to see if he 

 had fallen, but saw him rush away. I was turning round 

 to join my Kaffirs, who had fallen back a few yards, when 

 the bushes almost close to me were violently shaken, and 

 the elephant that I had first wounded shuffled out into 

 the path up which we had just come. He was not ten yards 

 from me, and my only chance of escaping detection was 

 by remaining perfectly still. He did not seem to notice 

 me, but to have been attracted by the rich flavour of my 



