tunately, the herd seeing me so near and gaining upon them, took
to the ruse of a beaten fleet and scattered in all directions; but I
kept a few big fellows in view, who were still pretty well together,
and managed to overtake the rearmost and knock him over. Up went the
tail and trunk of one of the leading bulls at the report of the shot,
and trumpeting shrilly, he ran first to one side, then to the other,
with his ears cocked and sharply turning his head to either side. I
knew this fellow had his monkey up, and that a little teasing would
bring him round for a charge. I therefore redoubled my shouts and
yells and kept on in full chase, as the elephants were straining every
nerve to reached a piece of thick jungle within a couple of hundred
paces.

I could not go any faster, and I saw that the herd, which was thirty or
forty yards ahead of me, would gain the jungle before I could overtake
them, as they were going at a slapping pace and I was tolerably blown
with a long run at full speed, part of which had been through deep mud
and water. But I still teased the bull, who was now in such an excited
state that I felt convinced he would turn to charge.

The leading elephants rushed into the thick jungle, closely followed by
the others, and, to my astonishment, my excited friend, who had lagged
to the rear, followed their example. But it was only for a few
seconds, for, on entering the thick bushes, he wheeled sharp round and
came rushing out in full charge. This was very plucky, but very
foolish, as his retreat was secured when in the thick jungle, and yet
he courted further battle. This he soon had enough of, as I bagged him
in his onset with my remaining barrel by the forehead shot.

I now heard a tremendous roaring, of elephants behind me, as though
another section was coming in from the tank; this I hoped to meet. I
therefore reloaded the empty rifles as quickly as possible and ran
toward the spot. The roaring still continued and was apparently almost
stationary; and what was my disappointment, on arrival, to find, in
place of the expected herd, a young elephant of about four feet high,
who, had missed the main body in the retreat and was now roaring for
his departed friends! These young things are excessively foolhardy and
willful, and he charged me the moment I arrived. As I laid the rifle
upon the ground instead of firing at him, the rascally gunbearers, with
the exception of Carrasi, threw down the rifles