HUNTING By MOONLIGHT WITH HORSE AND DOGS. 199 



his vast stern, pitching his head and trunk aloft to a 

 prodigious height, and, falUng heavily over on his side, 

 expired. This was an extremely large and handsome 

 elephant, decidedly the finest bull I had shot this year. 

 Afraid of taking cold or rheumatism, for I was in a 

 most profuse perspiration, I hastened back to my fire- 

 side, having first secured aU the dogs in their couples. 

 Here I divested myself of my leather trowsers, shoot- 

 ing-belt, and veldt-sohoens, and, stretched on my ka- 

 ross, I took tea, and wondered at the facility with whicl- 

 I had captured this mighty elephant. 



Feeling fatigued, I intended to lie down and rest till 

 morning. Just, however, as I was arranging my sad- 

 dles for a pillow, I beheld another first-rate old bull ele- 

 phant advancing up the vley from the south. I at once 

 resolved that he, too, should run the gauntlet with the 

 dogs. In immense haste, therefore, I once more pulled 

 on my old leathers, and buckled on my shooting-belt, 

 and ran down into the rank long grass beside the fount- 

 ain to meet him, armed with the large two-grooved rifle, 

 having directed Carey and Piet to come slowly up with 

 the dogs and my horse and gun as soon as they were 

 ready. The elephant came on, and stood drinking 

 within thirty yards of me. When I saw Carey coming 

 on with the dogs and steed, I fired, but my rifle hung 

 fire. The shot, however, gave the dogs good courage, 

 and they fought well. The elephant took away at a 

 rapid pace toward the other fountain where the Be- 

 chuanas lay, and at first led me through very bad wait- 

 a-bit thorn cover, which once or twice nearly swept me 

 out of the saddle. Presently he inclined to the west, 

 and got into better country ; I then rode close to him, 

 and bowled him over with four shots. 



The next morning, my ammunition being expended 



