298 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



moving slowly along the edge of the swamp away from us, but 

 one giant stood behind alone. I now started after them. As 

 we passed opposite the one that was down, I saw that it had 

 fallen over on its side. Going on, we found much blood on the 

 spoor of the big bull standing alone, which was thus proved to 

 be my third wounded one, and, getting within glass-range, I 

 could make out a bullet-hole in his left shoulder. I noticed he 

 seemed standing as if lame in both shoulders, and when I got 

 pretty near he turned round, and I could see that there was 

 also blood on the opposite side. I now crept up, and, taking 

 the cripple-stopper, held for a steady finishing shot, but two 

 cartridges snapped, and I had to take my .303 again. He was 

 moving towards the swamp again now, and more or less away 

 from us, so that it was not easy to bring him down suddenly ; 

 but, after receiving two or three bullets in quick succession, he 

 staggered and pitched on his front knees, resting his tusks on 

 the ground for support, his lofty hind-quarters still standing 

 erect, and, after remaining for a brief space in this curious 

 position, lurched backwards, and finally rolled over on his side. 

 Thus I had my three bulls — all huge fellows — down. This 

 last had massive but not long tusks. I measured him carefully 

 at once. The elephants that had been in front of him had now 

 disappeared into the swamp, so we retraced our steps towards 

 the other dead ones. 



On coming within sight of the other, which lay in the open, 

 I could see its upper tusk gleaming in the morning sun like a 

 great white crescent, concave side downwards. When I came 

 up to it I was indeed pleased to find its tusks were both long 

 and thick — much bigger than any I had yet shot. They 

 girthed i foot 9^- inches just outside the lip. My gun-bearers 

 congratulated me with pleased smiles. I believed the one in the 

 lake, though, to be the best of the three, but when I came to 

 measure the tusk above water (the right) I found it was not 

 quite so thick. At the same time, I knew that an elephant 

 always falls with its heaviest tusk down ; besides, I had a good 



