ELEPHANTS. 
259 
We took up the spoor on the opposite side of 
three bulls, not, however, until the bones had been 
cast, and the witch doctor or prophet had foretold 
that we should find them, and that I should shoot a 
fat bull, with one long and one short tusk. I fol¬ 
lowed silently in the rear of the spoorers, through a 
thick thorny bush. I had a presentiment that we 
were near them, and took my gun from the Kaffir’s 
hands ; and not three minutes after I saw, from the 
gesticulations of the Masaras, they had seen them. 
The dogs were slipped, and all was quiet for some 
time, when I heard Turk give mouth, followed im¬ 
mediately by the trumpeting of a bull. I made the 
best of my way in the direction, when I was turned 
by Raffler’s voice shouting, 6 Come here, Katoo,’ 
and made for him. I heard a shot behind me, 
turned at once, and caught sight of the retreating 
monster. The bush being uncommonly dense, I 
was fearful of losing him, and fired, striking him in 
the thick of the thigh, and he took up a position in 
a thicket, trumpeting and charging the dogs in all 
directions, making a loud crashing. Unfortunately, 
the cap was driven into the nipple at the first shot, 
and I lost some time in trying to get it out, and 
broke the point of my knife, but I eventually suc¬ 
ceeded with a strong needle, which I had in my hat. 
There were five men with guns, but no one had 
ventured into the bush to give him a shot; and the 
Kaffirs, no doubt, thought me afraid likewise ; but 
when I was sure of my gun I rode in on Broon, 
