the plain, but the level was a mass of deep, hardened
ruts, over which no horse could gallop. Knowing my
friend’s character, I rode up the rising ground to reconnoitre
: I found it tolerably clear of holes, and far
superior to the rutty bottom. My two mounted gun-
bearers had now joined me, and far from enjoying the
sport, they were almost green with fright, when I
ordered them to keep close to me and to advance. I
wanted them to attract the elephant’s attention, so as
to enable me to obtain a good shoulder shot. Riding
along the open plain, I at length arrived within about
fifty, yards of the bull, when he slowly turned. Reining
“ Tetel” up, I immediately fired a steady shot' at the
shoulder with the Reilly No. 10 for a moment he
fell upon his knees, but, recovering with wonderful
quickness, he was in full charge upon me. Fortunately
I had inspected my ground previous to the attack, and
away I went up the inclination to my right, the spurs
hard at work, and the elephant screaming with rage,
gaining on me. My horse felt as though made of
wood, and clumsily rolled along in a sort of cow-gallop;
—in vain I dug the spurs into his flanks, and urged
him by rein and voice; not an extra stride could I get
out of him, and he reeled along as though thoroughly
exhausted, plunging in and out of the buffalo holes
instead of jumping them. Hamed was on my
horse “ Mouse,” who went three to “ Tetel’s ” one, and
instead of endeavouring to divert the elephant’s
attention, he shot ahead, and thought of nothing but
getting out of the way. Yaseen, on “ Filfil,” had fled
in another direction ; thus I had the pleasure of being
hunted down upon a sick and disabled horse. 1 kept
looking round, thinking that the elephant would give
in :—we had been running for nearly half a mile, and
the brute was overhauling me so fast that he was
within ten or twelve yards of the horse’s tail, with his
trunk stretched out to catch him. Screaming like the
whistle of an engine, he fortunately so frightened the
horse that he went his best, although badly, and I
turned him suddenly down the hill and doubled back
like a hare. The elephant turned up the hill, and entering
the jungle he relinquished the chase, when
another hundred yards’ run would have bagged me*
In a life’s experience in elepb ant-hunting, I never
was hunted for such a distance. Great as were Tetel’s
good qualities for pluck and steadiness, he had exhibited
such distress and want of speed, that I was
sure he failed through some sudden malady. I immediately
dismounted, and the horse laid down, as I
thought, to die.
Whistling loudly, I at length recalled Hamed, who
had still continued his rapid flight without once looking