Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-10-01
trunk to examine the wound sucked out the

trunk to examine the wound, sucked out the
blood, and throwing it over his head and
shoulders, appeared to experience considers
BILE astonishment. / was not at all disposed
TO allow him much time for reflection, for
fear he might prove too troublesome, and as
he was standing still, favored him with the
left barrel, this time well planted just into
the bump of his trunk, where ii rises out of
the head. As there was nothing to intercept
my sight, this shot bore him upon his knees,
in which position he remained just long
enough to enable me to reload. On getting
up he turned wildly about, looking for me,
and upon discovering my position, came down
towards me at an awful pace. Anticipating
this movement, had my three-ounce rifle
prepared for his reception, and allowed him
to come within twenty yards, when sent
the ball again into his forehead, which stop
ped him short; he began to stagger and roll
about as if drunk, turned round three or four
times, again felt over his bleeding forehead,
sucking out pints of blood with his trunk,
and showering it over his head and body
which, originally black, had now been changed
to deep scarlet.
The fight up to this time had been carried
on in the dry bed of the Raptee river, without
bush between us, but with dense jungle
on either side, so finding him much thicker
headed and more disagreeable antagonist than
l had inwardly bargained for, consideredit
prudent to retreat into the jungle on my right,
taking up my position behind large tree.
Not many minutes had elapsed ere he missed
me, and rushing down to the spot where he
had last seen me, he began to hunt me out.
Elephants possess very keen sense of smell
through the proboscis, but the blood was now
streaming through the interior of that organ
which sadly perplexed his endeavors to sniff
me out. By hard blowing he partially cleared
the trunk, and discovering clue to his op-
ponent, came straight to the tree behind which
was concealed. had no time to lose, l
therefore treated him to a salute from the
right and left barrels in rapid succession;
the last shot, from his shaking is head at
the first, glanced off the bone and scooped out
his right eye, the pain of which drove him
nearly mad He spun himself round in in
tense agony his roars were appalling, and
he plunged up the ground with his feet to an
extent that, if described, would appear an ex-
aggeration to those who have not seen an ele-
phant, particularly an enraged one, in the act
of performing that operation. His small eye
hung from its socket therefore determined
to man@uvre on his blind side, and ply him
well with lead. had fought him for an hour
and half. Now scorching sun and fast,
under such circumstances, are rather trying;
indeed had almost had enough oft, and
began devoutly to wish that the beast would
either take to his heels, or allow me to take
to mine. The beast, unfortunately, was in
no such humor. 1t is a notorious fact, that
when two wild elephants meet in musth state,
they never separate till one of them is de- &.
stroyed. Their fight sometimes lasts week,
when the one which physically possesses the
greatest capacity for fasting will destroy the
other. Large male carcasses are thus fire.
quently discovered by the elephant-catchers,
and their tusks are turned to profitable ac-
count.
Twas now greatly exhausted and blown,
retreating after every shot to a fresh tree, the
elephant invariably following me up. In
hurry took up position behind tree which
should not have selected had not been so
fatigued. My opponentbeing fromhis wounds
slow in pursuit enabled me to recover my
wind, and while doing so it struck me had
occupied bad position, the tree not being
much thicker than my body. L imn ediately
| al 90 ~ han 4raa n VAR
fording much better cover, and fortunate it
was did so, for had barely taken up my
new ground when the elephant again COM
menced hunting me up, and when within four
yards of the tree had just quilted, he stop
ped, and putting his trunk out, after clearing
it and scenting for some minutes, made ter
rife rush. But this was fortunately nearly
his last. On coming up to the tree he made
sure was behind it, and encircling it with
his trunk he endeavored to break it down.
Failing in this, he half leaned, butiIia very ex-
hausted state, against the tree, and after two
more efforts tore it up by the roots and cast it
down. Evidently making sure that l was
under it, he now knelt down and commenced
driving his tusks into both sides of the tree,
aattering himself that he was probing my car
cass. was only few yards from him dur
ing this operation. Having considerably re-
vived, determined upon acknowledging his
good intentions. Stepping from behind the
tree had occupied whilst he was employed
in his humane undertaking, fired four shots
successfully into his forehead, which, however
stunned him. On reviving, he stuck his
tusks heavily into the ground, and remained
motionless for some minutes. l began to
hope he was dead, and retreated to another
position to reload. My mouth was in a fear
full state from thirst; my lips and tongue so
cracked and parched, that they were bleeding
profusely. The monster to my disgust, again
got up, but now very weak, and rolling about
as if he had been indulging, dd libitum, in gin
and leaden bitters.I He staggered back with
| some difficulty, reached tree, which he leant
against. Jack now, for the first time during
the encounter, spoke, or rather shouted, by
gar, captin, him going" began to think so,
and stepped out to within three yards of him.
He made two very drunken attempts to come
at me, and piled him well with lead, SO that
he again reeled up against the tree. l re-
treated to reload and had barely done so,
when, to my great annoyance, | saw him