A 'THRILLING CHARGE 
205 
about twelve or fourteen inches long, but the fact 
that its breasts showed no signs of milk fullness led 
me to hope that it was a young bull, and I deter¬ 
mined to act on that supposition. I at once advanced 
with my big gun in readiness. The two largest ele¬ 
phants at the same moment whirled around and 
started swiftly toward us. I rested my gun against 
the side of a small tree and after their onward rush 
They Whirled Around 
had brought them within fifty yards I fired as Ake 
suggested, “just between the eye and ear.” The 
animal swerved but did not fall. Akeley and 
Stephenson fired at the big cow and under the shock 
of their heavy shells she dropped to her knees, then 
sprang up and came on again. Once more they 
shot and she again went down on her knees, but got 
up, shaking her head and turned a little to one side. 
Stephenson started to shoot her again, but Ake 
shouted, “Don’t shoot her again. She’s got 
