in my crippled state, and we returned to the horses; but
the next day he was found dead by the natives.

I much feared that the shot fired might have disturbed the herd of
elephants, as they were reported to be not far distant; this, however,
proved not to be the case, as we met the watchers about a mile farther
on, who reported the herd to be perfectly undisturbed, but located in
the everlasting lemon grass. At this time the greater portion of the
Park was a mass of this abominable grass, and there was no chance of
getting the elephants in any other position, this serving them at the
same time for both food and shelter. How they can eat it is a puzzle; it
is as sharp as a knife, and as coarse as a file, with a flavour of the
most pungent lemon peel.

We shortly arrived at the spot in which the herd was concealed; it was a
gentle slope covered with dense lemon grass, terminated by a jungle.
We could just distinguish the tops of the elephants' heads in several
places, and, having dismounted, we carefully entered the grass, and
crept towards the nearest elephants. The herd was much scattered, but
there were five elephants close to each other, and we made towards
these, Banda leading the way. My only chance of making a bag lay in the
first onset; I therefore cautioned Wallace to have the spare guns
handed with extra diligence, and we crept up to our game. There were two
elephants facing us, but we stalked them so carefully through the high
grass that we got within four paces of them before they discovered us;
they cocked their ears for an instant, and both rolled over at the same
moment to the front shot. Away dashed the herd, trumpeting and screaming
as they rushed through the high grass. For a few moments my game leg
grew quite lively, as it was all downhill work, and I caught up an
elephant and killed him with the left-hand barrel. Getting a spare gun,
I was lucky enough to get between two elephants who were running abreast
towards the jungle, and I bagged them by a right and left shot. Off
went the herd at a slapping pace through the jungle, V. pitching it into
them, but unfortunately to very little purpose, as they had closed up
and formed a barrier of sterns; thus we could not get a good shot. For
about a quarter of a mile I managed to hobble along, carried away by
the excitement of the chase, through jungles, hollows, and small glades,
till my leg, which had lost all feeling, suddenly gave way, and I lay
sprawling