Page 51 - Adventures in Africa

can carry his tusks, and one of his feet will afford us

a substantial meal.” The elephant, we fancied, did
not see u s; and keeping ourselves concealed by the
underwood, we cautiously advanced. Presently we

found ourselves on the borders of an open glade, a
few low bushes only intervening between ourselves

and the elephant. He now saw us clearly enough,
and not liking- our appearance, I suppose, lifted up
his trunk and began trumpeting loudly,

“ If he comes on, don't attempt to run/' whispered
my uncle, “ but face him for a moment, and lire at
his shoulder; then leap on one side or behind a tree>

or if you can do so, climb up it with your rifle* I Will
look out for myself.1' As he spoke the elephant
began to advance towards us. I fired, as did my

uncle, the moment afterwards; but, though we both
hit him, the huge beast, after approaching a few

paces nearer, instead of charging, turned away to the
left, and went crashing through the wood.
W e having reloaded were about to follow him,

when the heads of nearly a dozen other elephants
appeared from the direction where we liad seen the

first; and, advancing rapidly through the shrubs
which they trampled under foot, with trunks and tail
stuck out, and uttering loud trumpetings, they came
rushing like a torrent down upon us.

** Come behind these bushes! ” cried my uncle, “ and
don’t move thence if you value your life.,>

I felt as if my life was of very little value just then,
for I could not see how wre were to escape being

crushed by the huge monsters as they rushed over us.
M y uncle fortunately possessed all the coolness re­
quired by an elephant hunter,