Ill 
THE ELEPHANT 
109 
presently saw a black form close to me as it ad¬ 
vanced in the next alley to my own. I do not think 
I was more than 4 or 5 yards from it when it 
suddenly turned its head to the right, and I im¬ 
mediately took a shot behind the ear. I had a 
white paper sight upon the muzzle of the large rifle 
(No. 10), which was plainly distinguished in the 
bright moonlight, and the elephant fell stone dead 
without the slightest struggle. 
After some delay from the dispersion of my men 
who carried spare guns, I re-loaded, and followed in 
the direction which the herd had taken. 
Although upon the ''qui vive^' they had not 
retreated far, as they were unaccustomed to guns, 
and they were determined to enjoy their supper 
after the long march of 20 miles to the at¬ 
tractive dhurra fields. I came up with them about 
three-quarters of a mile from the first shot; here 
there was the limit of cultivation, and all was wild 
prairie land; they had retreated by the way they 
had arrived, with the intention, no doubt, of return¬ 
ing again to the dhurra when the disturbing cause 
should have disappeared. I could see the herd 
distinctly as they stood in a compact body number¬ 
ing some ten or twelve animals. The only chance 
was to run straight at them in order to get as near 
as possible before they should start, as I expected 
they would, in panic. Accordingly I ran forward, 
when, to my surprise, two elephants rushed towards 
me, and I was obliged to fire right and left. One 
fell to the ground for a moment, but recovered ; the 
