XXXIV 
A FEW DAYS’ HUNTING 
297 
owing to the screening vegetation, I decided to 
await developments, hoping to get a better view if 
they came nearer, or moved further away from us. 
After twenty minutes of patient watchfulness up in 
my uncomfortable quarters, one of the four, having 
apparently got a whiff of our scent, began moving 
hartebeeste (< dicklenstein ). 
his proboscis about in all directions, and feeling that 
any further delay might prove fatal, I decided to 
risk a shot and trust to luck to penetrate his brain, 
or spine. As the tree, however, presented serious 
obstacles to the easy manipulation of a heavy rifle, 
I got my tracker to hand me up my 1075 and, 
judging the position of the restive elephant’s brain, 
as well as conditions would allow, I fired ; but the 
