Page 69 - Adventures in Africa

C H A P T E R IV.

—VJUv—

M y uncle and I felt far from happy up our trees. He
had had nothing to eat since he left canip in the

morning', and I too was getting very hungry, A n
hour or more went by, and yet the old rogue"
elephant showed no inclination to take its departure.

Fortunately it had not discovered my uncle's rifle,
which lay concealed in the grass close to the foot of

the tree.
He now shouted to me to try to shoot the brute.
This was no easy matter perched as I was high up ;

and a^ I was not likely to hit any vital part, I feared
that any shot would only contribute to increase its

rage without bringing it to the ground or driving it
off, I had but five more bullets in my pouch, but I
determined to do my best and not throw a shot away,

I waited until the animal presented its side to me,
when I fired, and the bullet struck it on the neck;
but, though the blood flowed, it seemed to take no

notice of the wound. The next I planted just below
the shoulder. The elephant uttered several loud
trumpetings and rushing again at the tree, seized the

stem with its trunk* and endeavoured to pull it down