172 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



hour we suddenly heard them blowing and moving 

 about, and as the grass was very long Owad and 

 Darod were sent up trees to see what they were like, 

 and to report which was the best. Darod came down 

 last, and declared that he had seen one good bull ; and 

 as he was so positive I foolishly did not make any 

 further investigation. 



We had to be very careful of the wind while 

 approaching, but managed to get within about thirty 

 yards. The supposed big tusker, whose head was 

 hidden behind a bush, was pointed out, and a right and 

 left from the -450 on the shoulder had the desired 

 effect, while we lay down in the long grass, hoping 

 that the remainder of the herd would run away. With 

 one exception they did as we expected, but not very 

 quietly. The exception ran screaming up to the dying 

 animal, and then lumbered up in our direction. Un- 

 fortunately, at this juncture one of my boys did not Jay 

 ' doggo,' but got up and bolted a few yards, where- 

 upon the beast winded and saw him as he ran, and 

 then charged. Aidid and I were between the boy 

 and the elephant, and had no alternative but to protect 

 ourselves. My first '450 caught it at the top of the 

 trunk, shutting it up after the fashion of a telescope,, 

 while another in the same place and a couple of 400*3 

 in the body from Aidid laid the animal out stone dead 

 within a very few yards of where we stood. Then, 

 and not till then, did I discover the enormity I had 

 committed. Both were cows. In the case of the last 

 animal it was force majeure, but the fate of the first 

 was my fault. Although it was my first elephant, 

 I had no business to. take for granted my boy's 

 word that it was a fine bull, even though I trusted 



