XIII 
A SOJOURN A T RES HI A T AND HERE 
297 
us, one, however (probably the first I had fired at), going off 
alone slowly, evidently very hard hit, in the opposite direction. 
Running across with my magazine rifle in my hands, I was 
able—though not in time to cut them off—to get in two or 
three shots at the wounded ones, with the result that another 
turned out and walked back across the flat. 
By this time the main body had entered the swamp, but I 
noticed the bull with the longest tusks of all, and which I was 
particularly anxious to kill, behind, and getting along apparently 
with difficulty. I had the .303 still in my hands, and as he 
stood for a moment on the edge, before following the rest into 
the swamp, I had a fine chance, and aimed for his temple in 
hopes of dropping him. But the confounded rifle had got on 
half-cock in the mysterious way it has the knack of doing at 
the most inopportune moments, and by the time I had got 
hold of the 1 o-bore the elephant was off after the others ; 
however, I gave him a couple of stern shots and he came to a 
standstill. I could see he was done, so watched him. Another, 
that looked like a cow, waited a little for him, but then went on, 
and I did not interfere with it. I had left Smiler behind to 
give me warning should the wounded ones come back. After 
watching the huge fellow standing up to his belly in the swamp 
a minute or two, and being satisfied that he was done, I 
turned to go and look after the others, but, just as I started, 
he made an effort to move, and then fell over on his side in 
the water, one tusk and half his body, but very little of his 
head, visible. 
Leaving him now with confidence that he was safe, I went 
out to where Smiler was on guard. I found that he had heard 
rumblings only a short way ahead in the direction the first 
wounded bull had taken. I climbed a high ant-heap to get a 
view, and soon made him out lying down but with his head up. 
I felt sure he could not get away, but was considering whether 
to go and give him a shot in the brain, when I saw several 
other elephants a good way ahead. Some four or five were 
