I BIG GAME SHOOTING, 1887 71 
side gully three hundred yards wide, choked by an unbroken 
expanse of very high reeds. We here lost sight of him for a 
time, and taking up his tracks found a good deal of blood. 
On reaching the main channel I sent the horsemen on after 
the elephant, and being parched with thirst lay down flat and 
drank from the rivulet. Before I had finished drinking Deria 
said, “Look out!” and I heard galloping and loud shouts, and 
sprang up just in time to see the elephant break back and cross 
the stream two hundred yards below me, taking up his former 
position in the reeds, and followed by my three horsemen, who 
were working admirably. When I came up the horsemen were 
collected on some rising ground overlooking the reeds, hooting 
at the elephant, which stood with the top of his head just 
visible, listening to them. 
Advancing to a small knoll in front of the horses, I fired 
right and left at his head. He disappeared among the reeds 
for a moment, and then some one called out that he was coming. 
Out he came, very silently, and I slipped away to leeward and 
crouched under a thorn-bush to watch him. Off he went after 
the horsemen, and singling out Hussein Debeli, following every 
turn of the horse, he kept close behind its tail for two hundred 
yards, till it seemed the plucky fellow would be caught, and 
they disappeared among the trees together. I soon noticed, 
however, that the elephant, having finished his charge, was 
stealing back again towards the gully which he had first tried. 
Back came the horsemen, and after a short race headed him, 
and brought him to a standstill fifty yards from me, giving a 
good chance for a shot. I was standing in the open, and 
knowing that I should have the watchful and angry brute down 
on me at once if I failed to disable him, I fired at his head, 
On receiving the shot he dropped his tail and trunk and held 
for the gully, looking demoralised, but before he could reach the 
shelter of the reeds I ran in close and gave him another shot in 
the shoulder at twenty yards, while he was going at a good 
pace. Swerving at this he plunged into the reeds, and we 
heard him crashing about in them for some time, then a long- 
drawn bellow, and everything became still. 
Before going in I fired two shots with the Express and 
listened, but hearing nothing, we started to examine the reeds. 
We were not long in finding the great cutting he had made 
through them, and with rifle on full cock and every sense on 
the alert, I entered, followed by my two trackers on foot. On 
