134 



ALONG LAKE RUDOLF 



With tlie help of our field-glasses, we made out in the 

 distance not only elephants, but zebras, and also a rather large 

 antelope covered with reddish-brown hair, of a species unknown 

 to us. 



Alia : Friday, March 23. — In the morning one elephant 

 only remained in the lake, the other having disappeared during 

 the night. So the Count had the canvas boat made ready, 

 intending either to shoot the animal from it, or to drive him 

 ashore. I meanwhile had noticed with the help of my field- 

 glass another elephant some forty minutes' distance off, and had 

 gone after it, finding, however, no trace of it. So I came back 

 to the beach and saw Qualla and two other men in the boat, 

 trying to drive the elephant out of the water. Qualla ap- 

 proached the wounded animal in the boldest manner, paddled 

 round it, and fired at it some dozen times with his Henry- 

 Winchester rifle. The elephant, however, did not budge an 

 inch, but went on quietly rooting up seaweed with its trunk, 

 and now and then sprinkling water over its wounds. He did 

 not seem to notice the boat or the men in it, and was equally 

 regardless of the bullets he received in his body. We began 

 to think he was too weak to get to land, so the Count called 

 Qualla and gave him the heavy Express rifle, telling him to shoot 

 the animal dead in the lake. The boat once more circled round 

 the quarry, but two shots fired by Qualla were without notice- 

 able result, so he ventured yet nearer, and the men rested on 

 their oars. We were just going to shout out our indignation 

 at all this useless risk, when the boat began to move again, 

 and slowly described a curve. But the next moment the 

 men in her jumped overboard, for the elephant, which had 

 appeared to be rooted to the spot, suddenly charged with 

 inconceivable fury, dashing the water around into foam. In 

 the twinkling of an eye he was upon the fragile craft, which he 

 first shoved before him for a little distance, and then seized 



