all my horses and gun-bearers. For about sixteen
miles we tracked up the herd to within a short distance
of the base of the mountain range. During the
march, we had seen large quantities of giraffes, and
all the varieties of large antelopes. The country, that
had consisted of a vast plain, now changed to rapid
undulations; the trees were generally small, and, at
this season of intense dryness, were devoid of leaves.
At the bottom of one of these undulations, among a
number of skeleton trees, that afforded no shade,
we discovered the elephants, standing in the high
withered grass, that entirely concealed all hut the
upper portion of their heads; they were amusing
themselves by tearing up the trees, and feeding
upon the succulent roots. I ordered Taher Noor and
Bacheet each to take a horse and rifle, and to lead
them, together with my hunter Aggahr, about a
hundred yards behind me, while I advanced towards
the elephants on foot. • At the sound of the first shot
they were to mount, and to bring my horse and spare
guns as rapidly as possible. Unfortunately, the herd
was alarmed by a large bull giraffe that was asleep in
the grass, which started up within thirty yards of us,
and dashed off in terror through the mass of elephants.
Their attention was roused, and they moved off to my
left, which change of position immediately gave them
our wind. There was no time to lose, as the herd was
in retreat; and, as they were passing across my path,
at about two hundred paces distance, I ran at my best
speed, stumbling through the broken pie-crust, and
sinking in the yawning crevices, the sides of which
were perfectly rotten, until I arrived within shot of
about twenty-five elephants. I was just on the point
of firing at the temple of a large animal that was
within about ten yards, when it suddenly turned, and
charged straight at me. With the right-hand barrel
of a Reilly No. 10, I was fortunate enough to turn
it by a forehead shot, when so close that it was
nearly upon me. As it swerved, I fired the remaining-
barrel exactly through the centre of the shoulder; this
dropped and killed the elephant as though it had been
shot through the brain.
The difficulties of the ground were such, that the
horses were not led as quickly as I had expected
thus I had to reload, which I had just completed
when Aggahr was brought by Taher Noor. Springing
into the saddle, I at once gave chase. The
gallant old horse flew along through the high grass,
regardless of the crevices and rotten ground. The
herd was about three hundred yards ahead, but the
long steady stride of Aggahr quickly shortened the
distance, and in a few minutes I was riding alongside
the elephants, that were shambling along at a
great pace, I determined to head them, and drive
them back towards my people, in which case I expected
that we might be able to surround them. I
touched Aggahr with the spur, and he shot ahead
of the leading elephants, when I turned sharp to-
the right exactly before their path, and gave a
shout to check their advance ; in the same instant,