He carried his head thrown back in such a position that I
could not get a fair shot, but, nevertheless, the four-ounce ball
stopped him, and away he went again with the herd at full speed, the
blood gushing in streams from the wound in his head.
My four-ounce is a splendid rifle for loading quickly, it being so thick
in the metal that the deep groove catches the belt of the ball
immediately. I was loaded in a few seconds, and again set off in
pursuit; I saw the herd at about 200 yards distant; they had halted, and
they had again faced about.
I had no sooner approached within sixty paces of them, than the wounded
elephant gave a trumpet, and again rushed forward out of the herd. His
head was so covered with blood, and was still thrown back in such a
peculiar position, that I could not get a shot at the exact mark. Again
the four-ounce crashed through his skull, and, staggered with the blow,
he once more turned and retreated with the herd.
Loading quickly, I poured the powder down AD LIBITUN, and ran after the
herd, who had made a circuit to arrive in the same forest in which we
had first found them. A sharp run brought me up to them; but upon seeing
me they immediately stopped, and, without a moment's pause, round came
my old antagonist again, straight at me, with his head still raised in
the same knowing position. The charge of powder was so great that it
went off like a young fieldpiece, and the elephant fell upon his knees;
but, again recovering himself, he turned and went off at such a pace
that he left the herd behind, and in a few minutes I was within twenty
yards of them; I would not fire, as I was determined to bag my wounded
bird before I fired a single shot at another.
They now reached the forest, but, instead of retreating, the wounded
elephant turned short round upon the very edge of the jungle and faced
me; the remaining portion of the herd (consisting of two large elephants
and two calves) had passed on into the cover.
This was certainly a plucky elephant; his whole face was a mass of
blood, and he stood at the very spot where the herd had passed into the
forest, as though he was determined to guard the entrance. I was now
about twenty-five yards from him, when, gathering himself together for a
decisive charge, he once more came on.
I was on the point of pulling the trigger, when he reeled, and fell
without a shot, from sheer exhaustion; but recovering himself
immediately, he again faced me, but did not move.
