322 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA cii. xiv 



slowly retreating elephants. I may say parenthetically here, in 

 explanation of the behaviour of these elephants, that, though 

 there are, I believe, some natives across the river who hunt 

 them and sometimes kill a few, the inhabitants generally 

 all round this part stand in great fear of these animals, 

 and run away whenever they happen to come across any. 

 Hence, I fancy, the elephants have become accustomed to 

 this treatment, and, regarding human beings with contempt, are 

 inclined to be aggressive and so exceptionally dangerous. 



Advancing hastily thus, on the look-out for another shot, I 

 came suddenly on two or three round a corner of the path. 

 Among them was the vicious cow, and she came for me at a 

 rush. I say the vicious cow, because, from her short stature and 

 small tusks, I believe she must have been the same that had 

 made the short charge earlier in the day ; I could also see that 

 there was a large calf following her as she came. I stood to 

 face her, and threw up my rifle to fire at her head as she came 

 on, at a quick run, without raising her trunk or uttering a sound, 

 realising in a moment that this was the only thing to do, so 

 short was the distance separating us. The click of the striker 

 was the only result of pulling the trigger. No cartridge had 

 entered the barrel on my working the bolt after the last shot, 

 though the empty case had flown out ! In this desperate 

 situation I saw at once that my case was well-nigh hopeless. 

 The enraged elephant was by this time within a few strides of 

 me ; the narrow path was walled in on each side with thick 

 scrub. To turn and run down the path in an instinctive effort 

 to escape was all I could do, the elephant overhauling me at 

 every step. As I ran those few yards I made one spasmodic 

 attempt to work the mechanism of the treacherous magazine, 

 and, pointing the muzzle behind me without looking round, 

 tried it again ; but it was no go. She was now all but upon 

 me. Dropping the gun, I sprang out of the path to the right 

 and threw myself down among some brushwood in the vain 

 hope that she might pass on. But she was too close ; and, 



