The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-28

search of succulent bamboos. Several
passed in this way. during /
which my nerves recovered them |
selves. just then the smaller tusker |
backed couple of steps and offered
me the temple shot. / deliberately |
covered him, b-aring in my mind all !
the coaching had formerly received !
from elephant sl9yeTS-a line drawn |
from ear TO eye as a base, from the |
centre OF which israised a line at right |
angles and six inches high. By join.
ing the ends of the base with this
apex small imaginary triangle is
formed, within which the bullet must
be planted. / was in no hurry, felt
quite cool, and aimed at the centre
of the fatal triangle. Bang I went
the rifle. Instantly both elephants
reared, curling their trunks. For
few seconds thus they faced US. then
turned and fed. Either l had no
chance of using them with effect or it
did not occur 60 me that / had a sec.
ond barrel, besides spare gun resting
on the tree. / confess I was much
astonished at the little effect of my
first fire. 1t was afterwards found
that the bullet had buried itself in a
mass of bone just above the brain.
We could see no blood trail, but the
track left behind their impetuous
rush was easily followed. After
keeping together for several hundred
yards they separated. One track was
straight, and showed the beast was
rushing headlong and smashing down
trees and all before it. We took up
this track. rightly thinking it was
that of the wounded animal. 1t was
now $50. For four hours, and as fast
as we could walk, we followed the
track, when the game was again in
view. The wounded animal left
the bamboo jungleS and sought
the thickest covert. We followed,
and came on him time after time,
but only his huge stern presented
itself. Finding he was followed he
made for the koomera. This is Sec
ondary growth that comes up after
the forest has once been cleared fol
cultivation and consists of thorns
bamboo and creepers. Through this
tangled mass the elephant tore hi:
way, and it was a comparatively easy
thing to follow in his track, but mex
to impossible to penetrate in any othel
direction. When the elephant stopped
|
might be obtained. At last he mad,
a longer halt than usual. The result
of his deliberations was clearly a de
termination to be rid of his pursuer,
as he suddenly turned around and face
US at thirty yards. Instinctively
felt he meant to charge. had change
the express for the smoothbore, whicI
is better adapted for quick shooting
, On came the brute in full career. /
. lis impossible for me to analyZe no,
state of mind at that moment. Tn
uppermost feeling was not that l ha
to kill the beast, hut that / had to sto
: the charge 1t is well / did not thin
of running, for that would have bee
; fatal. / reserved fire till he was quit
. his forehead. The shot made bin tur
his head for an instant; but to my hol
ror, he still came on, and when with
five PAGES he received my second she
on the right temple, two inches abov
l the eye. l then turned and fled dow
the track. In supreme moments c
peril we can often maintain our pre-:
: ence of mind. Luckily, it was so i
his case, and the slipping in of tw
1 cartridges was the work Of few SEA
OuuS. lHtu ldctu rOuuu, anu, ~ LII
unspeakable relief, the Infatuated beas
was no longer charging. There he la
9 dead ID his tracks with one and ont
quarter ounce of lead lodged in hi
} brain. He had fallen noiselessly, hl
r tusks buried deep in the ground. TIL
: reaction now set in and felt my leg
broken, the result of high nervou
tension during the brief but fierce Ell
3 cou1ter. At the beginning of tn
5 charge my Kuraba friends had a
swarmed up tree, and they nov
called out not to go near the beast a
, he might be feigning. We cautious
. ly approached, and soon found tn
noble animal was robbed of all hi
terrorS and lay still in death. / wa
now possessed of feeling of intens
, Joy. 1t was two o'clock and havin
eaten nothing since daybreak, the frs
, thing to think of was lunch. We the
cut off the end of the tail and mad
, for home. The Kurabas are guide
: through the forest by instinct, and W
! struck out on bee line, reaching tn
: point where the horse was left within
+ two hours.