ELEPHANTS 
163 
Length exposed from gum, 4 ft. 7 ins.; widest distance 
apart in curve, 2 ft. 6 ins.; between tips, 2 ft. 2 ins. 
The longer tusk of my brother’s big bull measured 
6 ft. 2j ins., by 16 ins. girth. This pair weighed 93 lbs., 
one tusk being broken at the tip; those of the third 
bull 44 lbs., and of the cow 28 lbs. : total, 302 lbs. 
With regard to the latter, neither my brother nor 
I had shot at an animal of the wrong sex, the bull- 
elephants being easily distinguished from cows, even as 
seen from astern, by their superior height—towering an 
apparent fourth over the females. This unfortunate 
animal had undoubtedly received her wound in the first 
instance from Mabruki’s reckless shot. Grievous to 
add, she was followed by a well-grown calf, about 
4 ft. high. This we endeavoured to capture, but the 
toto proved altogether too big. On our approach, the 
determined little beastie (it must have weighed half-a- 
ton !) came on in most savage style, cocking his ears 
and screaming, till we were fain to leave him alone. 
We heard him calling during that night, but by 
morning he had gone. 
Immediately the shooting was over, I discharged 
Mabruki on the spot, taking the rifle from him and 
landing him a brace, right-and-left, on his snub nose to 
drive the lesson home. Next time I saw him, six weeks 
later, he was working in a docker-gang on the wharves 
of Mombasa. The punishment seemed severe—the fall 
from gun-bearer at twenty-five rupees a month to labourer 
at six—and for a moment I relented; but second thoughts 
clinched the matter. Mabruki was totally disqualified 
to act as gun-bearer, and should never have been rated 
as such. Already, within two months, his want of 
nerve and self-control had twice placed us in jeopardy, 
and he should not have the chance of doing the same 
to others. Nor should East-African shooting-agents 
“ sign on 55 gun-bearers unless they have reasonable 
certainty in believing such to be safe and reliable men. 
The last view we had of our elephants, they 
were slowly retiring northwards through the scattered 
