68 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
exact spot in the forehead, and fired. The smoke 
of the heavy charge of powder hung like cotton wool 
around me, and for a moment obscured the view ; 
but feeling sure that he was down, I looked beneath, 
and to my horror I saw the trunk, the cocked ears 
and the expression of fury just above me. 
To throw down my heavy rifle and to bolt upon 
one side was the work of half a second, but the 
elephant turned after me, and the race commenced 
over the most lovely piece of turf, like a well-kept 
lawn tennis ground. I could run in those days, and 
I flew along the level surface with this horrid brute 
behind me, going his best, and gaining in the race. 
Keeping parallel with the jungle, I hoped that the 
elephant would relinquish the pursuit and turn 
suddenly into the welcome covert; but no, he 
seemed determined to overtake me. This race 
lasted for about ioo yards, when I suddenly 
doubled to my left, which would necessitate a 
corresponding move upon the part of my pursuer, 
that would bring him into the crowd of beaters who 
were advancing from the isolated patch. At that 
moment the elephant turned to the right, and was 
lost in the thorny jungle ; while I was breathless, 
and relieved from the exciting chase. 
We never saw that elephant again, although we 
followed some distance upon his tracks in pursuit. 
My brother and my shikaris declared that the 
bullet had struck him exactly in the right place, but 
that his head was carried very high, and thrown 
back; the conical sharp-pointed bullet had 
