VIII 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



371 



Leguinan that I had seen an elephant, he stood and 

 prayed to Ngai that the day's operations might be 

 crowned with success. A few of his followers joined 

 him in prayer ; but most of them tried their spears 

 on imaginary tuskers, thrusting them into the air 

 and recovering bravely. The prayer finished, I went 

 forward with fifteen men, while the rest disappeared 

 in the bush. At the end of an hour, I came in sight 

 of a good-sized bull, standing upon the steep edge 

 of the slope of Loroghi. 



There was a valley about 500 yards in width between 

 my position and that of the elephant, and, the wind 

 being so shifty and uncertain, I felt that approach in 

 his direction would be attended with unsatisfactory 

 results. I knew the Mannlicher would carry 500 

 yards with accuracy, and, as the elephant was in full 

 view, standing with his back towards me, I got a very 

 fair shot. The bullet struck him, for he sharply turned 

 in our direction, raised his trunk, and then quickly 

 lowered it to the ground ; which signified that he 

 had become aware of our position, and was prepared 

 to charge. 



I have never seen an elephant charge with its trunk 

 in the air. If the trunk is poised in the air, it indi- 

 cates that the animal is not quite certain of the where- 

 abouts of its tormentors ; but when satisfied of the 

 direction in which it must go, the trunk is lowered, 

 and the charge follows. 



As this bull lowered his head, I gave him a shot 

 in the forehead, which knocked him down. He rose 

 again, and charged straight at us. I had great hopes 

 of getting him, and endeavoured to induce the natives 



