Alas! I dared not move to recover my
gun, and felt that my only chance of safety till I could do so and
reload was to keep behind the tree. The male elephant, having cleared
his tusks of the rotten wood, lifted up his trunk, and began trumpeting
away as a signal of defiance, which was echoed by his other companions
in the neighbourhood. Chickango advanced towards him cautiously as
before. Once more he lifted his weapon and fired; but, to my horror, I
saw the creature again dash forward. The black, though a bad shot, was
active of foot, and sprang behind a tree. The other elephant now came
rushing forward; while at the same moment I heard another trumpeting
sound close behind me, and saw, to my dismay, the vast heads of numerous
male elephants, their huge tusks and trunks towering above the
underwood. The various movements I had made brought me back to the
neighbourhood of the spot where the elephant had made his first charge,
when I caught sight of my gun at a little distance. I dashed forward
and seized it. The attempt was dangerous, for the elephants were coming
towards me. In doing so I lost sight of Chickango; but I was sure from
his previous conduct that he would not desert me. I again retreated
towards the nearest large trunk I could see, though all the intervening
space, it must be understood, was filled with fallen trees, and
creepers, and saplings, intertwined as I have before described. To stay
there, however, I saw would be more dangerous than to take to flight, as
with so many assailants, sagacious and cunning in the extreme, I should
at once have been surrounded; and as to climbing a tree, as I had before
done, that was impossible, as no branches were within reach. I had no
time either to reload my piece. I therefore ran, or rather I scrambled,
among the boughs as fast as I could get along. Probably it was
fortunate my gun was not loaded, as I could scarcely have prevented the
lock catching in the creepers through which I made my way. For some
seconds I thought the creatures were at fault, for I saw them standing
still, looking about for me. It was sharp work. I did not profess to
be an elephant hunter, but I could not help feeling that I was, at all
events, now being hunted by the elephants. Still I persevered, but I
dreaded every moment to find myself caught by a creeper, or my head in a
noose, and then to see the monsters rush towards me.

The big elephant and his companion whom I had a