42 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



presently he burst out, trunk tightly coiled, 

 ears cocked, and head held high. I waited till 

 his head was clear, and gave him the right 

 barrel at about fifteen yards. I was using a 

 10-bore Paradox by Holland with a steel-cored 

 bullet, and aimed low down at the base of the 

 trunk about two feet below the bump. The 

 smoke hung round me like a pall, but, stooping 

 below, I saw to my dismay that he was not 

 even checked. I had just time to step aside, 

 so as to clear the smoke, and to give him the 

 left barrel in the same place. This was 

 enough for him, and brought him up when he 

 was all but on me. He slid for some little 

 distance with the impetus of his charge, as he 

 rammed his great forefeet out in front of him 

 to check himself. The next second he had 

 wheeled round and crashed back into the jungle, 

 but I had just time to jerk open the breech, slip 

 in another cartridge, and give him one in the 

 ear before he vanished. It was a very close 

 thing. I suppose he was not five yards from 

 me when he received the second bullet. After 

 waiting a few moments to compose our nerves, I 

 explained matters to the orderly, Allah Din, who 

 was then new to the game but full of pluck. I 

 knew the elephant would not go far, but would 

 wait for us in the nastiest bit of jungle he could 

 find. If I led, tracking, there was every chance 

 of the elephant taking us unawares, and getting 



