The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-10

rumblings both to right and left, N |
realized that l had got among several
elephants. Situated as l was in grass
far above my head. with n maximum range
of vision OF fifteen yards in any direction
in some far less felt that things weIe
getting rather warm. and l was oVerjoySd
when the big bull in front put an end to
the horrible suspense OF inaotion by re-
Stunning his leisurely way toward me.
Slowly he advanced, nothing visible but
the enormous ears and trunk. until he
arrived within six PAGES OF me-, a thick
mimosa bush being between us.
Although up to the present a shot had
been impossible, and even now I could
only catch odd glimpses Of him through
the leRfy screen, l made mp my mind to
have at him without further delay, for a
couple of more strides must nave brought
him on top Of me or given him my wind.
| tried to estimate the whereabouts OF his
brain, and let drive my right barrel at
the spot where l Judged IL to be- Down
he came With a crash, and could make
out that he was lying on his back. his four
legs twitching upright in the air. hastily
cTammed in "A fresh cartridge and started
TO push my way round the bush toward
him. when hc got mp very groggily, When
he was half wa up I tgied for his heart
with my right barrel without any appre-
ciable effect, and Just as he had struggled
up again 10 his feet l once more grassed
him with the left in the head. He made
A'AH hNANA nv NhFNFe AAAtN HANt 49, NHA
obliquely from me and received two more
bullets. which raked his enormous body.
without. however. stopping him. and he
disappaar red into the long grass.
RRlOading ] followed his spoor. which.
passing through very thick cover. crossed
an open space with grass only waist high
and about thirty wards square. Here " was
that | saw him again-but | heard hlm nTst.
for when we were almost in the centre OF
the Open space | heard the shTill Squeal of
-,-, ,yht,.h hnr,lAa n rhar0n and GaU hia
mighty head. rum in air. ears outspread.
appear through the grass to my front.
At The distance Fifteen yardsl hesitation
or flight would have been equally fatal,
and with that extraordinary GOODNESS which
comes in 'he presence OF imminent danger
my rifle was at my shoulder and had
planted u bullet into the massive head.
The mead instantly vanished, but 70 this
day do not know whether he came down
or merely went back on his tracks, though
| think the former. for the instant that l
fired I heard "A second report directly be-
hind me. and knowing that my Rln bearer
was fartOO goOda man to fire in my direction
from behind ! instinctively swung round
with my rife still at my shoulder. As l
turned ' saw, 70 my horror and dismay. a
big COW almost directly behind MS. breaking
ont of the long grass and evidently bent
on mischief, though my gun bearers bullet
seemed to have somewhat damped her
ardor. Ny bullet. which hit her some
where, eNliCntV UeClleu ntTs lOF she SNulE
of into the long grass once more, leaving
my gun bearer and myself the only tenants
of the open space.
We both reloaded and took counsel to-
GCther. agreeing that IA we were in a COM
pa-ativplv open space to stay there for a
while and not further tempt fortune by
venturinG again into the thick stun. Ac-
cordingly assembled a mail mimosa
tree. whence l could get a view over the
top Of the high elephant grass. From my
Urlca | could catch occasional glimpses
of six elephants, five Of which | decided
were cows and the other l took to be the
wounded bull. All had theS trunks raised
and were obviously trying TO get our wind.
Fortunately, however. the breeze for a time
held steady. blowing from the elephants
toward us. After a time l was able To get
another shot AZ the bull. and once more |
hit him and down he anne. only TO rise
again n minute later, swaying as he stood
and evidently very sick indeed.
IS il caused by my shot the breeze
Immediately began to shift and u blow
ia gusts from all quarters of the ompass
This hcd the result OF further exciting
the elephants, the wounded COW in par
ticular. During the next hour she got
our wind several times and made savage
rushes in our direction. However. on ecch
occa sion the wind dropped before sha got
near enough 70 neCessitate shooting. though
Once she got alrlcSt 20 the edge Of the
clearing, and my riff was AZ my shoulder,
when the viGd veered M her Cherge Gisd
dwGy. ATT + about an hour of this kind
at thing | decided to trust TO luck end
mlkc an effort 90 fr IA On the bull, who
Wts stan ing IL,timi - in IN spot und'r
= large trap; accordingly we entered the
long grass. fuliowin ing the blood track of tho
Sc iously wouns,ed CTimll.
then followed a prIiol Of excursi jUs
ami Charms. At a point whore the track
took . sharp curve We We're unable to
yess without living our Wind = the unRr-'
COW, whom we could hear moN ing Tbout
%OTlinoasly n"gr us. kvcTtually 81" scented
uR and charged, but We managed t. FVCil
her b. diving into the lJEE grass TO the
right of the track. and she dashed rs 1T Gs,
not more than thirty feet away. without
ma, aging 10 discover ~.
All our Efforts TO get at the bull were
iCiled Ivy iiS angry wife, and after about
three-quarters of an hour Of hile and
seek in the grass all the elephants moved
of. the bull evidently stronger then he had
been an hour before. was still almost
certain of getting him, as l felt sure that
his death was only n question of hours.
aud once dead the cows would leave him.
! followed up his blood spOor. which pssssd
under the Zig tee at which | had left my
crackers and syCe. | found them sll up
the tree, and they told me that the elephants
hai Just passed. frightening the syce,
who was on the ground, very considerably.
As soon as they were seen coming in that
'lItNNbpl " Nht ptbplt tIOIt H- luEtlNu
loose tho mule and Joined his friends in
the branches. He then descended and
turned up with the mule while l was talking
to the crackers.
They told me that besides the bull there
were five cows. three of them with calves.
and that the bull was very hard hit. andbound
10 die very shortly. They also told ma a
yarn which had often before heard. hut
never really believed. that the cows la
surrounded the dying bull and were holding
him m and helping him along
Hastily desI atching a messenger to get
camp struck and to bring the safari (carn-
vanl along the elephant track. l started of
to follow it up. | followed that blood
bespattered trail for the rest of he day
until I =. NJ, when. after twelve hours OF
tramping, with nothing to eat since break
fast, | felt too one to 20 n further
and sat down to await the arrival OF my
later. Then while camp was being pitched
n big elephant was sighted on an open
hilltop to the right, about a mile from the
camp. With the aid Of my glasses ! made
certain that he was my friend of the morning.
looking decidedly the worse for wear and
10Y quite alone. He had evidently move
in a circle and was coming baC on his
tracks, since the Grail | was following ran
almost due west. while the hill on which
he now was lay due north Of the camp.
II was now too late TO pursue him further.
but conviction deepened into certainty
of my getting hin early next morning.
However, IA 10 will appear. the old saying
there's many a SliD" was once more to
Urove its truth. While rejecting upon
the morrow, 1 was interruDted by a SWahili