a bat. At the moment of firing. I had
jumped to the left, but he struck me with his tusk in full charge upon
my right thigh, and hurled me eight or ten paces from him. That very
moment he stopped, and, turning round, he beat the grass about with his
trunk, and commenced a strict search for me. I heard him advancing close
to the spot where I lay as still as death, knowing that my last chance
lay in concealment. I heard the grass rustling close to me; closer and
closer he approached, and he at length beat the grass with his trunk
several times exactly above me. I held my breath, momentarily expecting
to feel his ponderous foot upon me. Although I had not felt the
sensation of fear while I had stood opposed to him, I felt like what
I never wish to feel again while he was deliberately hunting me up.
Fortunately I had reserved my fire until the rifle had almost touched
him, for the powder and smoke had nearly blinded him, and had spoiled
his acute power of scent. To my joy I heard the rustling of the grass
grow fainter; again I heard it at a still greater distance; at length it
was gone!

At that time I thought that half my bones were broken, as I was numbed
from head to foot by the force of the blow. His charge can only be
compared to a blow from a railway engine going at twenty miles an hour.

Not expecting to be able to move, I crept to my hands and knees. To my
delight there were no bones broken, and with a feeling of thankfulness I
stood erect. I with difficulty reached a stream of water near the spot,
in which I bathed my leg, but in a few minutes it swelled to the size of
a man's waist. In this spot everyone had congregated, and were loading
their guns, but the rogue had escaped.

My cap and rifle were now hunted for, and they were at length found near
the spot where I had been caught. The elephant had trodden on the stock
of the rifle, and it bears the marks of his foot to this day.

In a few minutes I was unable to move. We therefore sent to the tent for
the horses, and arrived at 6 P.M., having had a hard day's work from 5
A.M. without food.

On arrival at the tent we found Banda and the trackers.

There could not be a better exemplification of a rogue than in this
case. A short distance apart from the herd, he had concealed himself in
the jungle, from which position he had witnessed the destruction of his
mates. He had not stirred a foot until he saw us totally unprepared,
when he instantly seized the oppor