SUCCESSFUL HUNT. 
319 
shrill shriek announced that the bullet had been 
well aimed, and immediately afterwards the stricken 
animal disappeared, but not for long, as I soon 
again sighted him. Owing, however, to a sudden 
change in his position whilst I was taking aim, and 
to the great distance, my second bullet seemed not 
to harm him greatly, for though I had reason to 
believe he was again hit, yet he turned quietly 
round, peered deliberately in all directions with his 
small, sinister-looking eyes, and before I had re¬ 
loaded was once more lost to view. 
I had not, however, proceeded more than a dozen 
paces, when I caught a glimpse of the rump of an 
elephant as it was disappearing behind a large tree, 
environed by tall and thick bushes. Taking it for 
granted that this was the wounded one, I approach¬ 
ed the spot with the utmost circumspection ; and 
it was well I did so, for I had no sooner fairly 
rounded the tree in question than I discovered the 
creature, then obliquely facing me, rubbing his hide 
against the bushes. On seeing me, he at once drew 
back a step or two, preparing to charge, when a 
well-directed bullet, lodged in his right shoulder, 
changed instantly his intended rush into a precipi¬ 
tate flight. This shot so effectually crippled him, 
however, that, by taking a short cut, I presently 
managed to intercept his retreat; a second bullet 
brought him to a stand-still, whilst a third, fired 
almost immediately afterwards, stretched him on 
the ground a corpse. 
The whole hunt scarcely occupied ten minutes, ' 
and I naturally felt gratified at its speedy and suc¬ 
cessful termination. Still, on a nearer inspection 
