CRITICAL POSITION. 
345 
though a hurried and uncertain one, took effect; a 
fine cow was killed by it, but her carcase was not 
discovered till two days afterwards. On this night, 
therefore, I “ bagged ” three elephants, besides 
wounding two others. 
On another occasion, when the night was very 
dark, I had crept to within a short distance of seven 
bull-elephants, and was endeavouring to pick out 
the largest, when I was startled by a peculiar 
rumbling noise close behind me.* Springing' to my 
feet, I perceived, to my surprise and alarm, a semi¬ 
circle of female elephants, with their calves, bearing 
down upon me. My position was critical, being 
between two fires, so to say, and I had no other 
choice than either to plunge into the pool, which 
could be crossed only by swimming in the face of 
the male elephants, or by breaking through the ranks 
of the females. I adopted the latter alternative, 
but first fired at the nearest of the seven bulls ; 
and then, without a moment’s delay, rushed on 
the more open rank of the female phalanx, uttering 
at the same time loud shouts. My cries caused a 
momentary panic amongst the animals, of which I 
took advantage, and slipped between them, dis¬ 
charging my second barrel into the shoulder of the 
nearest as I passed her. No sooner, however, had I 
effected my escape than the whole herd made a simul¬ 
taneous rush at me, and trumpeted so shrilly as to 
cause every man at the camp, as I learnt afterwards, 
* The low rumbling noise one often hears when elephants are 
approaching the water, arises—say the Bushmen—not from the foot¬ 
fall of the animals, but from their stomachs. 
