<CHAP. VII.] 
NEARLY CAUGHT. 
183 
we suddenly broke cover and saw him travelling very 
quietly through an extensive plain of high grass. The 
ground was gently inclining upwards on either side 
the plain, but the level was a mass of deep, hardened 
ruts, over which no horse could gallop. Knowing my 
friend’s character, I rode up the rising ground to re¬ 
connoitre : I found it tolerably clear of holes, and far 
superior to the rutty bottom. My two mounted gun- 
bearers had now joined me, and far from enjoying the 
sjDort, they were almost green with fright, when I 
ordered them to keep close to me and to advance. I 
wanted them to attract the elephant’s attention, so as 
to enable me to obtain a good shoulder shot. Riding 
along the open plain, I at length arrived within about 
fifty yards of the bull, when he slowly turned. Reining 
“ Tetel” up, I immediately fired a steady shot at the 
shoulder with the Reilly No. 10 :—for a moment he 
fell upon his knees, but, recovering with wonderful 
quickness, he was in full charge upon me. Fortunately 
I had inspected my ground previous to the attack, and 
away I went up the inclination to my right, the spurs 
hard at work, and the elephant screaming with rage, 
gaining on me. My horse felt as though made of 
wood, and clumsily rolled along in a sort of cow-gallop; 
—in vain I dug the spurs into his flanks, and urged 
him by rein and voice; not an extra stride could I get 
out of him, and he reeled along as though thoroughly 
exhausted, plunging in and out of the buffalo holes 
instead of jumping them. Hamed was on my 
horse “ Mouse,” who went three to “ Tetel’s ” one, and 
iu stead of endeavouring to divert the elephant’s 
attention, he shot ahead, and thought of nothing but 
getting out of the way. Yaseen, on “ Filfil,” had fled 
in another direction ; thus I had the pleasure of being 
hunted down upon a sick and disabled horse. 1 kept 
looking round, thinking that the elephant would give 
in :—we had been running for nearly half a mile, and 
the brute was overhauling me so fast that he was 
within ten or twelve yards of the horse’s tail, with his 
