68 ELEPHANT-HUNTING. 



shot at a large male with enormous tasks, peram- 

 bulating in calm and dignified stateliness around 

 the troop, I remained on an elevated spot, whence 

 I could command a view of the animals feeding 

 beneath. Among the herd were several young ones 

 frisking — if such a term may be applied to these 

 clumsy animals — with uncouth and awkward gam- 

 bols, in all the natural freedom of their early 

 vigour : one of them, rather larger than a calf, was 

 standing between the fore-legs of its dam, which was 

 suckling it, and caressing it at the same time with 

 her proboscis. As I continued to watch the scene, 

 I saw Thackwray wave his hand for me to retire out 

 of view, for he was now cautiously creeping forward 

 under cover of the brushwood, to get within shot; 

 but the male elephant caught sight of me, before I 

 could conceal myself from observation, when, raising 

 its trunk, and flapping its large ears against its 

 shoulders, it uttered a shrill cry, and dashed, with the 

 whole herd at its heels, into the thickest part of the 

 covert, where it was useless to follow. Mounting 

 our horses again with the intention of abandoning 

 all further pursuit, and of seeking some human 

 habitation in order to obtain refreshment, of which 

 we felt much in need, we rode away ; but had not 

 advanced far before Thrackwray discovered a pair 

 of fine ivory tusks actively engaged in an adjacent 

 part of the bush. This was too great a temptation 

 for him to withstand ; and proceeding towards the 



