XIII STIRRING TIMES AT LECUNDI 127 
hitting him, as I subsequently discovered, in the 
heart. Dashing madly forward, I was astonished 
to find the animal only a few yards within this 
belt of vegetation, lying on his side, apparently 
dead, with his back towards me. As I approached, 
somewhat incautiously I admit, he viciously swung 
ONE OF THREE ELEPHANTS SHOT ONE AFTERNOON. 
his head and trunk round in an endeavour to 
catch me, but, instinctively alert for any such 
offensive move, I instantly sprang back out of his 
reach and, kneeling down, gave him a finishing 
shot in the brain. 
While examining our prize (a beauty, with 
tusks scaling 83 and 84 lbs.), we suddenly heard, 
to our surprise, the noise of an elephant smash- 
