, on endeavoring to regain my saddle.
Colesberg declined to allow me to mount; and when I tried to lead him,
and run for it, he only backed toward the wounded elephant. At this
moment I heard another elephant close behind: and on looking about I
beheld the 'friend,' with uplifted trunk, charging down upon me at top
speed, shrilly trumpeting, and following an old black pointer named
Schwart, that was perfectly deaf, and trotted along before the enraged
elephant quite unaware of what was behind him. I felt certain that
she would have either me or my horse. I, however, determined not to
relinquish my steed, but to hold on by the bridle. My men, who of
course kept at a safe distance, stood aghast with their mouths open,
and for a few seconds my position was certainly not an enviable
one. Fortunately, however, the dogs took off the attention of the
elephants; and, just us they were upon me I managed to spring into the
saddle, where I was safe. As I turned my back to mount, the elephants
were so very near, that I really expected to feel one of their
trunks lay hold of me. I rode up to Kleinboy for my double-barrelled
two-grooved rifle; he and Isaac were pale and almost speechless with
fright. Returning to the charge, I was soon once more alongside,
and, firing from the saddle, I sent another brace of bullets into the
wounded elephant. Colesberg was extremely unsteady, and destroyed the
correctness of my aim. The 'friend' now seemed resolved to do some
mischief, and charged me furiously, pursuing me to a distance of
several hundred yards. I therefore deemed it proper to give her
a gentle hint to act less officiously, and so, having loaded, I
approached within thirty yards, and gave it her sharp, right and left,
behind the shoulder; upon which she at once made off with drooping
trunk, evidently with a mortal wound. Two more shots finished her; on
receiving them she tossed her trunk up and down two or three times,
and falling on her broadside against a thorny tree, which yielded like
grass before her enormous weight, she uttered a deep hoarse cry and
expired."

Mr. Cumming's exploits in the water are no less exciting than his land
adventures. Here is an account of his victory over a hippopotamus, on
the banks of the Limpopo river, near the northernmost extremity of his
journeyings.

"There were four of them, three cows and an old bull; they stood in
the middle of the river, and though alarmed, did not appear aware of
the exte