14.- ELEPHANT HUNTING IN AFRICA. PART I.

ae eom'pa nied, went with.
ağ ĝa ģēers', mounted native
hunters.

spěe'u låt ing, considering.
im pěn'e tra ble, not to be en-
tered.

im plîçʻit, perfect; very great.

eon front'ed, stood facing.
as sāl'ants, persons who attack.
skirt, run along the edge of.
in vā'ri a bly, without change.
poş'i tive ly, expressly; in strong

terms.

In ter vẽn'ing, coming between.

Tracking was very difficult, as there was a total absence of rain; it was next to impossible to distinguish the tracks of two days' date, from those most recent, upon the hard and parched soil.

The greater part of the day passed in useless toil, and, after fording the river backward and forward several times, we at length arrived at a large area of sand in a bend of the stream, that was evidently overflowed when the river was full; this surface of many acres was backed by a large forest.

Upon arrival at this spot, the aggageers, who appeared to know every inch of the country, declared that, unless the elephants had gone far away, they must be close at hand, within the forest.

We were speculating upon the direction of the wind, when we were surprised by the sudden trumpeting of an elephant, that proceeded from the forest, already declared to be the hiding place of the herd.

In a few minutes, a fine, large elephant marched majestically from the jungle upon the large area of sand, and proudly stalked directly toward the river.

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At that time we were stationed under cover of a high bank of sand that had been left by the re

tiring river in sweeping round an angle. We immediately dismounted and remained well concealed.

The question of attack was quickly settled; the elephant was quietly approaching the water, which was about a hundred paces distant from the jungle; this intervening space was covered with heavy, dry sand, that had been thrown up by the stream in the sudden bend of the river.

I proposed that we should endeavor to stalk the elephant, by creeping along the edge of the river, under cover of a sand bank about three feet high; and that, should the rifles fail, the aggageers should come on at full gallop, and cut off his retreat to the jungle.

Accordingly I led the way, followed by my head man with a rifle, while I carried my large elephant gun, which I called "Baby.” Florian accompanied us. Having the wind fair, we advanced quickly for about half the distance, at which time we were within a hundred and fifty yards of the elephant, which had just arrived at the water and commenced drinking.

We now crept cautiously toward him, as the sand bank had decreased to a height of about two feet, and afforded very little shelter. Not a tree nor bush grew upon the surface of the barren sand, which was so deep that we sank nearly to the ankles at every footstep.

Still we crept forward, as the elephant alternately drank and then spouted the water in a shower over his colossal form; but just as we had arrived within about fifty yards, he happened to turn his head in our direction, and immediately perceived

us.

He lifted his enormous ears, gave a short trumpet, and for an instant wavered in his determination whether to attack or fly; but as I rushed toward him with a shout, he turned toward the jungle, and I immediately fired a steady shot at his shoulder with the " Baby."

The only effect of the shot was to send him off at a great speed to the jungle; but at the same time the three aggageers came galloping across the sand like greyhounds in a course, and, wisely keeping on a line with the jungle, they cut off his retreat. Then turning toward the elephant, they confronted him, sword in hand.

At once the furious beast charged straight at the enemy; but now came the very gallant but foolish part of the hunt. Instead of leading the elephant by the flight of one man and horse, according to their usual method, all the aggageers at the same moment sprung from their saddles, and upon foot, in the heavy sand, they attacked the elephant with their swords.

In the way of sport, I never saw anything so magnificent, or so absurdly dangerous. The elephant was in a great rage, and, nevertheless, he seemed to know that the object of the hunters was to get behind him.

This he avoided with great dexterity, turning with extreme quickness, and charging headlong, first at one, and then at another of his assailants, while he blew clouds of sand in the air with his trunk and trumpeted with fury. Nimble as monkeys, nevertheless, the aggageers could not get behind him. In the folly of excitement, they had forsaken their horses, which had escaped from the spot.