To My
Amazement He Jumped Quickly Up, And With A Loud Trumpet He Rushed
Towards The Jungle.
I could just keep close alongside him, as the grass
was short and the ground level, and being determined to get him, I ran
close to his shoulder, and, taking a steady shot behind the ear, I fired
my remaining barrel.
Judge of my surprise!--it only increased his speed,
and in another moment he reached the jungle: he was gone. He seemed to
bear a charmed life. I had taken two shots within a few feet of him that
I would have staked my life upon. I looked at my gun. Ye gods! I had
been firing SNIPE SHOT at him. It was my rascally horse-keeper, who had
actually handed me the shot-gun, which I had received as the
double-barrelled ball-gun that I knew was carried by a gun-bearer. How I
did thrash him! If the elephant had charged instead of making off I
should have been caught to a certainty.
This day's shooting was the last day of good sport that I ever had at
Minneria. It was in June, 1847. The next morning I moved my encampment
and started homewards. To my surprise I saw a rogue elephant drinking in
the lake, within a quarter of a mile of me; but the Fates were against
his capture. I stalked him as well as I could, but he winded me, and
came on in full charge with his trunk up.
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