The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-22

skins about, and seeing none, came to
the conclusion that the lions must have
| frightened the elephants away, and
that ] had had my stroll for nothing.
But just as l was turning back 1
thought I heard a Dough break upon
the farther side of the glade, and, rash
! as the proceeding was, 1 followed the
sound.
1 crossed the glade as silently as my
own shadow.
On its father side the path went on.
Albeit with many fears, I went on,
too.
The jungle growth was so thick here
that it almost met overhead. leaving
so small a passage for the light that l
could scarcely see to crop my. way.
along.
Presently, however, it widened, and
then opened into a second glade slight
ly smaller than the first, and there, on
the father side Of it, about eighty
yards from me, stood the three enor-
nous elephants.
They stood thus: Immediately oppo-
site and facing me was the wounded
one-tusked bull.
He was leaning his bulk against a
dead thorn tree. the only n in the
place, and looked very sick indeed.
Near him stood the second bull, as
though keeping a watch over him.
The third elephant was a good deal
nearer to me, and broadside on.
While 1 was still staring at them this
elephant suddenly walked off and van
ished down a path in the bush to the
right.
There were now two things to be
dola-either I could go back to the
camp, and advance upon the elephants
at dawn, or I could attack them at
once. D."
The first was evidently by far the
wiser and safer course.
To so for one elephant by moonlight
and single-handed is a sufficiently rash
proceeding; to tackle three was little
short Of lunacy.
But, on the other hand. I knew that
they would be on the march again be-
fore daylight. and there might come
another day Of weary truGsing before
I could catch them up, or they might
escape me altogether.
NO" I thought to myself, faint
heart never Won fair tusk. LII risk it,
and have a slap at them. But how"
l could not advance across the open,
for they would see me; clearly the only
thing to do was to creep round in the
shadow of the bush and try to come
upon them so.
So I started.
Seven or eight minutes Of careful
stalking brought me to the mouth OF
the path down which the third ele-
plant had walked. 90
The other two were now about fifty
yards from me, and the nature Of the
wall Of bush was such that I could not
see how to. get nearer to them without
being discovered.
l hesitated, and peeped down the
path which the elephant had followed.
About five yards in it took q turn
round a bush. =
1 thought that I would just have a
look behind it, and advanced, expect
ing that 1 should be able to catch q
sight of the elephants tail.
AS it happened, however, I met his
trunk coming round the corner.
1t is very disconcerting to see an
elephants trunk when you expect to
see his tail, and for a moment 1 stood
paralyzed almost under the vast brute's
head, for he was not five yards from
me.
He. too, halted, having either seen or
winded me, probably the latter, and
then threw uphis trunk and trumpeted,
preparatory to q charge.
1 was in for it now, for I could not
escape either to the right or left on
account Of the bush, and I did not dare
turn my back.
So 1 did the only thing that I could
do, raised the rifle and fired at the
black mass of his chest.
1t was too dark for ME to pick q
shot; 1 could only brown it, as it were.
The shot rang out like thunder on
the quiet air, and the elephant an
swered it with q scream, and then
dropped his trunk, and stood for a Sec
ond or two as still as though he had
been cut in stone.
I confess that 1 lost my head-I ought
to have fired my second barrel, but I
did not.
Instead of doing so 1 rapidly opened
my rife, pulled out the old cartridge
from the right barrel and replaced it.
But before 1 could snap the breach
to-, the bull was at me.
I saw his great trunk fly up like a
brown beam, and 1 waited no longer.
Turning, l fed for dear life, and after
me Numbered the elephant.
Right into the open glade I ran. and
then. thank Heaven, just as he was
coming up with me the bullet took eff
feet on him.
ITO be c%ontinUed.)