Hunters three: Sport and adventure in South Africa

by Thomas Wallace Knox

Ranging my horse up alongside I gave him a couple of bullets just back of the shoulder, aiming wild, of course, as the horse was at a gallop and there was no time to dismount. After the second bullet he turned and stood facing me, as if undecided what to do. Then he came on with a terrific charge, and I wheeled the horse very quickly to avoid him.

After that he continued on his journey after the rest of the herd, and I followed him and gave him another dose. This brought the elephant around again, and as he came about I determined to give him a ball in the chest; and this time I put in the gun a cartridge with an explosive ball, which would certainly astonish him, at any rate.

When I raised my gun for the purpose of firing, the horse tossed his head and prevented me from taking aim. While I was trying to pacify him the bull came on, and I fired at random. I evidently did not hit the elephant at all; I aimed directly over the horse's head, and think the bullet must have come disagreeably near to his ear, as he gave a sudden jerk to one side, which threw the near rein over on the off side and unfastened the curb-chain, the bit turning right around in his mouth.

Here was a pretty predicament, and if there had been time for reflection I should have regretted that I ever came to Africa to hunt elephants or other big game. The great brute was not fifty feet away from me, with his trunk elevated in the air, his immense ears flapping, and his trumpet sounding in the most vicious manner. I had no control over the horse on account of the position of the reins and bit, and so I dug the spurs into his side to get a move on him someway.

The horse went straight for the elephant, and I thought it would be the end of the animal and his rider. I leaned over as far as possible on the side farthest from the elephant, and as I went by him his trunk was within six feet of me. I drove the spurs into the horse, and on he went for fifty yards or so, where we brought up against three small trees that stood in a sort of triangle. We got through these trees, but I was nearly dragged from the horse in so doing, and it is a wonder that I was able to hold on to my gun. I clung, however, to the gun and the reins, and on we went, jumping over thorn-bushes, and through a tangled sort of thicket, and over ground full of holes.

The horse was nearly down several times, and I narrowly escaped being pitched overhead, as the ground was very heavy and not at all adapted to a promenade on horseback.

All this time the elephant was close after us and generally not more than ten or twenty yards behind us. I got clear of him by moving in circles, guiding the horse as well as possible by pressing on his neck and encouraging him in every way I could. When one is chased by an elephant the best way of escape is by doubling on him; he cannot turn quickly, and there is where you have him at a disadvantage.

As soon as there was a chance to pull up I jumped off the horse, arranged the bridle, and mounted again to pursue my elephant, who was moving in the direction the herd had taken. I came up to him and renewed the hostilities, giving him in all ten shots, and being charged three times, the last time for fully half a mile. Then I gave him an explosive bullet right between the eye and ear, and he came to the ground. My horse was completely blown by that time, and as for myself, I was ready to drop with exhaustion. It was one of the hardest chases I ever had after an elephant, and I do not know of one on which I had a closer call.

Harry and Jack went in pursuit of the herd soon after I singled out my prize. Harry said that he got up so close to one that the horse's nose almost touched him, Harry's intention being to watch a favorable moment, come around to the elephant's side, and give him a shot there. It is very little use shooting at an elephant's rear, as there is nothing but a great mass of flesh there; several ounces of lead deposited in it make no particular difference in the animal's movements. Suddenly his elephant turned to see who it was that was accompanying him; this gave a chance for a broadside, which Harry embraced, planting a bullet in the beast's shoulder. Harry dropped back again to reload, and then followed up through a mass of tall bushes that concealed the animal from sight. He dashed on to overtake the elephant, and came near being caught by his antagonist.

The elephant had stopped in a place where the path turned suddenly, and Harry was almost under his trunk before he saw him. The bull trumpeted furiously and made a terrific charge. The horse whirled instantly, but Harry drove the spurs into him, when the two went through a mass of thorn and other bushes that they would not have dreamed of venturing into at any other time. Harry's encounter with the bushes was very evident when he turned up, as his clothes were torn in shreds and his flesh was gashed and scratched in many places; half the skin was torn from his hands, and he was not at all a presentable object for a drawing-room; and, besides, he lost his elephant!