170 HUNTING THF ELEPHANT. 



port put the whole herd to flight, and then we had to look 

 out for our safety. We had barely time to ensconce our- 

 selves behind the projection of the hill, when a large 

 number of the cows dashed by, and our wounded bull fol- 

 lowed them. The whole army was thrown into confusion, 

 and it was one of the most thrilling scenes I had ever 

 witnessed. Parties charged in every direction, and the 

 air was filled with the shrill trumpeting of the alarmed 

 groups. We entirely lost sight of the wounded bull, and 

 as the herd came dashing rather too near us, we were 

 compelled to retreat, dodging from tree to tree, stumbling 

 among sharp stones, and constantly meeting fresh detach- 

 ments of elephants. However, we obtained one good shot, 

 and by a ball in the brain brought down a large cow, with 

 a splendid pair of tusks, which we concluded to leave until 

 the wagons came up. The train soon appeared, and we 

 descended into the valley to encamp upon the banks of 

 the small stream that ran through the wooded ravine. 

 Within an hour from the time of the first attack, that no 

 elephant was to be seen in the vicinity of our camp, the 

 dead cow alone excepted. Her tusks were secured and 

 placed among our large stock of trophies. 



The next" day we crossed the ridge on the same side 

 towards the mountains, and found ourselves upon an un- 

 dulating plain. We had not proceeded far, riding ahead 

 of the wagons, before we witnessed a party of the Bechu- 



