Our party was altogether too large for elephant shooting, as we never
could get close up to them without being discovered.
.As usual, they
winded us before we got near them, but by quick running we overtook them
just as they arrived on the banks of the river and took to water.
Wortley knocked over one fellow just as he thought he was safe in
running along the bottom of a deep gully; I floored his companion at the
same moment, thus choking up the gully, and six elephants closely packed
together forded the deep stream. The tops of their backs and heads were
alone above water. I fired the four-ounce into the nape of one
elephant's neck as the herd crossed, and he immediately turned over and
lay foundered in the middle of the river, which was sixty or seventy
yards across.
In the mean time Palliser and Wortley kept up a regular volley, but no
effects could be observed until the herd reached and began to ascend the
steep bank on the opposite side. I had reloaded the four-ounce, and the
heavy battery now began to open a concert with the general volley, as
the herd scrambled up the precipitous bank. Several elephants fell, but
recovered themselves and disappeared. At length the volley ceased, and
two were seen, one dead on the top of the bank, and the other still
struggling in the shallow water at the foot.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 322 of 343
Words from 85606 to 85856
of 91283
