In African Forest and Jungle

by Paul B. Du Chaillu

We followed the left bank of the river, and came to a place where we saw a herd of elephants standing close together. Foremost was a large bull elephant, their leader. I counted twenty-seven elephants. Their big ears were moving continually, and their trunks were swinging up and down. They were trumpeting and squealing. Some were very large. The bull seemed to be about ten and a half feet in height, some of the cows nine and a half feet.

Suddenly the bull made for the river. The others followed, and soon they had a grand time together in the water.

After watching them awhile, Rogala and Shinshooko whispered: "Oguizi, we must follow the river through the woods and get opposite the elephants." We walked through the jungle most carefully in order not to attract their attention. Fortunately they were having such a noisy time that they could not hear us. Nor could they scent us, as the wind was in our favor. When we surmised from the noise they made in the water that we were opposite them, we made for the banks of the river. Finally we got a glimpse of the elephants and crept to the water edge. The bank of the river here was high and abrupt, so the elephants could not charge us. I was very glad of this, for I never felt comfortable when the huge beast was bearing down upon me. It had been agreed beforehand that each one of us should pick out an elephant and that we should fire at the same time.

The elephants, unaware of our presence, were swimming without any suspicion of danger. All at once the huge bull turned and swam towards us. There was no way to kill him but by a forehead shot, that is, shooting him between the eyes. The steel-pointed bullets of "Bulldog" could do the work well. A number of cow elephants turned also towards us. I pointed out to Rogala and Shinshooko two of them that could be shot near the temple or behind the ears, and made them a sign that I was going to take a shot at the bull.

"Suddenly the bull made for the river."

We raised our guns. I looked at Rogala and Shinshooko. They were looking at me also. We took careful aim and I gave three clicks; the third one was the signal to fire. Bang, bang, bang, went our guns at the same time. I thought the guns of my men had burst, so loud was the detonation. I saw only a dense smoke, which hid them for a while from me.

Looking at the water, I saw the bull elephant raise and lower his trunk twice; then he swam towards our bank, which was so steep that he could not land. He was evidently badly wounded. Suddenly the water around him became a mass of foam. He was in his last struggle. The current took him down stream. The two cow elephants were badly wounded and seemed dazed, but they succeeded in reaching the shore.

In the meantime, at the noise of the guns, the herd took to the shore and fled through the forest, tearing down and trampling everything in the jungle that obstructed their flight.