56 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



a comparatively young animal, with only (for a bull) moderate 

 teeth weighing 5 5 lbs. apiece. I did not waste time in 

 examining my prizes then though, hardly allowing myself 

 even a glance at them, for we heard others close by, and going 

 in the direction and climbing a tree I was able to see one. 



The undergrowth was here very dense, tall, and leaf}', but 

 on getting a little nearer I could just make out a bit of the 

 elephant I had seen from the tree, and was worming my way 

 forward with the greatest care so as not to make any noise, my 

 eyes fixed intently on it, when suddenly I heard something 

 which made me look round quickly to the left, to behold 

 another, which must have been within a few yards, though hidden 

 by the thick high scrub, coming for me and almost on me. 

 No time to aim ; all I could do was to bang off in its face, 

 which was right over me, and throw myself down into the scrub 

 behind me. I could just draw myself among the stems far 

 enough to escape being trodden on, and only just in time, as 

 she (it was a cow with small tusks) was where I had stood the 

 instant before (for my shot did not stop her), and waited there 

 apparently looking for me. She could easily have reached me 

 with her trunk, which I could see moving about as if feeling 

 for me, without stirring, and I momentarily expected to be 

 hauled out by one of my legs, which I was unable to draw in 

 farther on account of the close-growing scrub, and made an 

 end of in some unpleasant fashion. As she stood there a second 

 or two, screaming and wondering, as it seemed, what had 

 become of me, I fired my second barrel as well as I could for 

 her ear ; but I was in so awkward a position (a bit flustered, 

 too, I confess) that I failed to get at her brain. However, she 

 made off on receiving the shot. I now found that my cartridge 

 pouch was not on me, and in the excitement of the moment 

 forgot what had become of it, so rushed back to Squareface (as 

 I called my gunbearer), who was a little way behind me, for more 

 ammunition. We sought in vain for the belt and pouch where 

 I had dropped my hat in avoiding the charge, and at last it 



