546 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
about twenty, with several little ones in their wake, were 
upon us, striding at their utmost speed, and trumpeting 
loudly with uplifted heads. I rested my rifle against the 
tree, and firing behind the shoulder of the leader, she dropped 
instantly. Another large detachment being close behind us at 
the same moment, we were compelled to retreat, dodging from 
tree to tree, stumbling amongst sharp stones, and ever coming 
upon fresh parties of the enemy. This scene of ludicrous 
confusion did not long continue, and soon approaching the 
prostrate lady, we put an end to her struggles by a shot in 
the forehead. Andries now came up in high good humor at 
his achievements, and in the most bravado manner, discharged 
his piece into the dead carcass, under the pretence that the 
animal was shamming. His object evidently was to confound 
the shots, for, thrusting his middle finger into the orifice 
made by my two-ounce ball, he with the most modest assurance 
declared himself the author of the deed, being pleased 
altogether to overlook the fact of the mortal shot having 
entered the elephant on the side opposite to that on which 
he was stationed, and that his own ball, whether designedly 
or not, had all but expended my worthy and esteemed fellow- 
traveller. 
On our way to the camp, of the exact position of which 
we were uncertain, in consequence of the late inundation, we 
passed three other large herds of elephants. One of these 
standing directly in the route, we attacked it, and pursued 
the fugitive about a mile over loose stones. Much has been 
said of the attachment of elephants to their young, but neither 
on this, nor on any subsequent occasion, did we perceive 
them evinse the smallest concern for their safety. On the 
contrary, they left them to shift for themselves, and Mohany- 
com and Lingap, who were behind us, assagaied one, the 
tail of which they brought in. We slew another old female 
as we ascended the brow of an eminence, and at the same 
moment perceived our wagons within a few hundred yards of 
