I could hardly distinguish the
sights of my rifle, and I was, therefore, obliged to wait till she was
within four or five paces before I fired. She gave me a good shot, and
dropped dead. The young one was rushing about and roaring in a
tremendous manner, having again been fired at and wounded by B. and W.
By this time I had got a spare gun, and, wading into the tank, I soon
came to such close quarters that I could not miss, and one shot killed
him. The other small elephant escaped unseen in the confusion caused by
the firing.
The following evening we again watched the pool, and once more a mother
and her young one came to drink. W. and B. extinguished the young one
while I killed the mother.
This watching by moonlight is a kind of sport that I do not admire; it
is a sort of midnight murder, and many a poor brute who comes to the
silent pool to cool his parched tongue, finds only a cup of bitterness,
and retires again to his jungle haunts to die a lingering death from
some unskilful wound. The best shot must frequently miss by moonlight;
there is a silvery glare which renders all objects indistinct, and the
shot very doubtful; thus two animals out of three fired at will
generally escape wounded.
