air. While we
were thus quietly counting our chickens, this tough old African giant
was most probably walking away through the forest, with no more idea of
dying than we had; little cared he for a fourteen-to-the-pound bullet!

This was my first introduction to the South-African elephant, and I may
say to South-African game.

On the following morning, the dew had scarcely been dried by the sun
before we entered the bush on our traces of yesterday. We brought with
us an English settler, an experienced elephant-hunter, two Kaffirs, and
a Hottentot. We were uncertain about bringing a hatchet for the purpose
of cutting out the teeth, in case the elephant was dead (the tusks, I
should here remark, are commonly called the teeth, while what in England
are called the teeth are really the grinders). We saved ourselves a
vast amount of ridicule by leaving the hatchet at home.

We had no difficulty in at once recognising the spot on which our
yesterday's scene was acted. Had we been in doubt, the discovery of my
hat would have settled the question; it had been knocked out of the
path, and its broad brim was smashed considerably. No doubt the big
elephant, in his charge, had accidentally trodden on it, and kicked it
on one side.

We went to the spot on which M--'s elephant had stood. I certainly was
disappointed to find that he had not even fallen on receiving the shot.
None but an experienced eye could tell that anything extraordinary had
even taken place here; but both Kaffirs and Hottentot at once saw, by
the traces, all that had happened. These sharp-sighted savages pointed
to the spot from whence M--had fired, and then to where the elephant had
stood. They said he had turned round and rushed headlong towards the
smoke of M--'s gun. He there stopped, and then slowly retreated,
keeping himself away from the remainder of the herd.

We followed his traces, and soon found blood, both on the leases and
branches, as also on the ground, but not in such large quantities as I
should have supposed. We followed this spoor for some distance; but the
blood soon ceasing, and the wounded elephant's traces being crossed by
other feet, we saw no more of him.

We discovered, however, that, during our advance on the previous day, we
had passed three elephants within fifty yards without being aware of
their vicinity. The noise which we had heard and the rumbling sounds
were caused by them. They thought it prudent to remain nearl