m. wahlberg 5 s presentiment oe his rate. 379 
he could always turn an elephant in his charge by 
giving him a shot in the head, but, alas ! it seems 
that on this occasion my unfortunate companion 
had not even time to raise his gun to his shoulder 
ere he was hurled to the ground and pinioned 
between the tusks of the enraged brute. M. 
Wahlberg’s rifle was discovered broken short at the 
stock by the elephant, as if the animal was possessed 
of the intuitive knowledge that it was the weapon 
employed for its destruction.” 
Poor M. Wahlberg seems to have had a presenti- 
ment of his approaching fate. In another letter 
from his head-man, Mr. Charles Cathcart Casfcry, 
also addressed to Mr. Letterstedt, it is thus stated :—- 
“ Some time previous to this awful event, M. 
Wahlberg came one day to me (Castry) and said, 
‘ If anything serious should befall me, I wish you to 
take my effects, collections, &c., to Mr. Letterstedt, 
my agent at the Cape/ On asking him why he 
thought he would not return home alive, he replied : 
c Why, I have had several narrow escapes from 
elephants. 5 Upon this I remonstrated with him on 
his apparent recklessness, and begged of him to be 
more cautious and careful in his future dealings 
with elephants. To this he seemed to turn a deaf 
ear, merely remarking, € I cannot help myself; when 
I get sight of the brutes, I seem to lose all appre¬ 
hension. 5 55 
Though M. Wahlberg’s career as an African ele¬ 
phant-hunter was rather a short one, I think I may 
safely venture to affirm that the feats performed by 
him have never been surpassed, either in daring or 
