Ialwayskeptmygunsandammunitioninbeautifulorder，arrangedonarackinthecabin。Ontheleft-handsideweretheshotguns，i。e。，twobreechloadingNo。12；fourmuzzleloadingNo。10。Ontheright，therifles：thelittle”Dutchman，”twobreechloadingReillyNo。8，twomuzzleloadingHollandhalf-pounders，thatcarriedanironlead-coatedexplosiveshell，containingaburstingchargeofhalfanounceoffinegrainpowder。Thesetwoelephantrifleswereveryhardhitters，andcarriedtwelvedrachmsofpowder。Theammunitionfortherifleswasonashelfthatformedtherack，containedinasmallbagwithasimplereload，andalargebagwithaconsiderablesupply。Thesmallbagwasintendedforthedeck，shouldIcallsuddenlyforarifle。
　　Seeingthattheelephantsweresonear，Iatonceorderedmyhorse，”GreedyGrey，”tobesaddled，andtheriflesandammunitiontobesentafterme。Myservant，Suleiman，whohadstartedwithmefromAlexandria，wasanhonest，goodcreature，butsoexceedinglynervousthathewasphysicallyuselessinanysuddenemergency。Theclimateofthemarshesduringourlongvoyagehadsoaffectedhisnervoussystem，thatanyalarmorstartwouldsethimtremblingtosuchanextent，thathisteethchatteredasthoughhehadbeenbathinginicedwater。However，therewasnotimetolose，asIexpectedthatshouldtheelephantsobserveourvessels，andthetroopsintheirscarletuniform，theywouldimmediatelywheelroundandbeoff，atthepacewhichanAfricanelephantknowssowellhowtouse。
　　Iquicklymounted”GreedyGrey”andtoldSuleimantosendonmyriflesdirectly，withammunition。
　　Iorderedmymentorunuptheheights，andtocomedownatabout200
　　pacesintherearoftheelephants，wheretheyweretoformalineasthoughinskirmishingorder。Thislineofredshirtswouldmostprobablychecktheelephantsfromrushingback。Mymenhadorderstofireattheelephants，andtoendeavourtoturnthemshouldtheyattemptaretreat。
　　Iwasnowon”GreedyGrey；”theslopinggroundwasascleanasarace-course，Ithereforegallopeduptheinclinesoastokeepabovetheelephants。Thehorseflewalongatfullspeed。Atthismoment，achorusofshoutsfromgreatnumbersofnativeswhohadcollectedontheeastbankoftheriverwasraisedinadmirationofthewhitehorse，whichtheyprobablythoughtwouldinsomemannerseizetheelephants。
　　InaveryfewsecondsIreinedupontheslope，aboutahundredyardsabovetheherd，whichhadnowhaltedclosetotheriver’sbank。Theyregardedthehorsewithsomecuriosity，andmassedthemselvestogether。
　　Inthemeantime，my”Forty，”whowerecapitalrunners，weremovingrapidlyalongtheheights，andtheypresentlycamedown，andformedinalong，openlinefromtheedgeoftheriveruptheslope。Duringthisoperation，theelephantsonlymovedtheirearsandtrunks，butremainedinthesameposition。Theywerenowcompletelysurrounded；thediahbeeahandmypeoplewereintheirfront，Iwasabovethemononeflank，andtheservantswerecomingupwiththerifles。Intheirrearwasalineofabouttwentysoldiers，andontheotherflankwasthedeepriver，about110yardswidefromthemainlandtotheisland。
　　JustastherifleswerewithinafewyardsofmeandIwaspreparingtodismount，theelephantswheeledsuddenlyround，andtooktowater。
　　Theyhadbeenstandinginalow，swampyspotthatwasfrequentlyoverflowed：thustheyhadnodifficultyindescendingtotheriver。
　　Closetothisplace，thebankswereperpendicular，andashardasbrick。
　　Irandowntotheriver，butbythetimeofmyarrival，theelephantshadgainedtheoppositebank；there，however，theywereinadifficulty。
　　Thewaterwasdeep，andtheshoreoftheislandwasperpendicular，andaboutsixfeetabovethewater。Theycouldnotgetoutwithoutbreakingdownthebanksoastoformanincline。Alreadytheseenormouscreatures，whichareaccustomedtosuchdifficulties，weretearingdowntheearthwiththeirtusksandhorny-toedfeet；stillitwasaworkoftime，thatgavemeagoodopportunity。
　　Itwasdifficulttoobtainashot，astheelephantswereendon。Thedistancewasabout110yards，whichisveryuncertainforsolargeananimal，thatmustbestruckexactlyintherightplace。
　　IfiredseveralshotswiththeNo。8breechloader，aimedatthebackoftheirheads，butnoneoftheseweresuccessful。
　　Monsoorhadtheammunition，andreloadedforme。Thestunningeffectoftheheavymetalconfusedtheanimalsandcausedonetofallbackwardintothescramblingherd。Thisturnedanelephantsideways。Thebankhadalreadygivenwayandhadfalleninlargemassesintothewater，whichreducedthedepth。Theelephants，whichhadnowgainedamuddyfooting，ploughedandtoredowntheyieldingearthwithredoubledvigour，asmymeningreatexcitementopenedahotfireuponthemwiththesniderrifles。Thesehadaboutasmucheffectasthoughtheyhadbeenpeltedwithstones。
　　Presently，asthedepthwaslessenedbythefallingbank，theelephantsshowedmorebodyabovethesurface。Thesplashingandscramblingwasextraordinary；atlengthalargebullhalfascendedthebank，andforamomentexposedhisflank；IfiredaquickrightandleftshotwithaReillyNo。8behindhisshoulder，andhefellbackwardsintotheriver，wherehecommencedaseriesofwildstrugglesthatbroughthimwithintwentyyardsofme，andIsentaballintohisheadwhichkilledhim。
　　Thepowerfulstreamatoncecarriedawaythefloatingcarcase。
　　Thebankhadnowcompletelygivenway，andanelephantwasnearlyonthesummit。IfiredathimwithoneoftheHollandhalf-pounders，whichbytherecoilflewoutofmyhandsforadistanceofseveralyards；thiswasloadedwithtwelvedrachmsoffine-grainpowder。Theelephantfellonhiskneesonthesteepincline，andwasbaggedtoallintentsandpurposes，butbelievingthatIhadplentyofammunitionathand，Ifiredanotherhalf-pounderintohisshoulder，whichkilledhimonthespot，andherolledintothewater，andthecurrenttookhimaway。
　　Iimmediatelysentamantoorderboats，withropesandaxes，tofollowthecarcases。
　　InthemeantimeIfiredmylastNo。8intotheshoulderofanelephantthathadjustclimbedthebankandgainedtheisland。Inowhadagloriousopportunityofashoulder-shotateveryanimalasitshouldascendthesteepincline。
　　Myammunitionwasexhausted！Myservant，Suleiman，hadsentthelittlebagthatcontainedonlyonereloadforthebreech-loaders，andnopowderflaskorshellsforthehalf-pounders。Ihadnowtheannoyanceofwitnessingthedifficultascentoftheelephantsinsinglefile，exposingtheirflanksinsuccessiontotheshoulder-shot，whileI
　　remainedahelplesslooker-on。
　　Ihadthusbaggedonlytwooutofeleven，butthesewerekilledatverylongshotsabout110yards。
　　Thehalf-pounderrifleswerethesamecalibreandpatternasthatdescribedin”TheNileTributariesofAbyssinia”as”theBaby。”TheseweremadebyMr。HollandofBondStreet，andarethemostoverpoweringriflesIeverused。Theywerecertaintokilltheelephant，andtohalfkillthemanwhofiredthemwithtwelvedrachmsoffine-grainpowder。I
　　wastolerablystrong，thereforeIwasneverkilledoutright；butanArabhunterhadhiscollar-bonesmashedbytherecoil，whentheriflewasloadedwithsimplecoarse-grainpowder。Ifhehadusedfinegrain，I
　　shouldhardlyhaveinsuredhislife。
　　Theelephantshavinggainedtheisland，remainedsometimeexposed，beforetheymadeuptheirmindstocrosstotheotherside。
　　Unfortunately，theboatshadfollowedthecarcasesoftheelephantsdowntheriver，whichweretwomilesdistantbeforetheycouldbesecured；
　　thereforewehadnomeansofreachingtheisland。Ourvesselscouldnothavecrossed，asthereweremanyrocksbelowstream。
　　IthereforetookafewshotswithHale’srockets，oneofwhichjustgrazedtherumpofanelephant，andsentthemoffingreatastonishment。
　　Wethentriedafewshotswiththefieldpiece，butthegunmadebadpractice，andtheshellsexplodedverywildlyandnotaccordingtothedistancesregulatedbythefuses。
　　Thespecificgravityoftheelephantdiffersconsiderablyfromthatofthehippopotamus。Thelatteranimalinvariablysinkswhenkilled，andthebodyrisestothesurfaceinabouttwohours，whenthegashasdistendedthestomach。Thebodyofanelephantfloatsonthesurfaceimmediatelythatitiskilled，andiscapableofsupportingoneormorepersons。Thecavityofthecarcaseismuchlargerintheelephantthaninthehippopotamus；thelatterisadensemassofflesh，coveredbyanexceedinglythickandheavyskin，thespecificgravityofwhichisconsiderablygreaterthanwater。
　　CHAPTERXIII。
　　MORALRESULTSOFTHEHUNT。
　　Themoralresultoftheelephanthuntwasverysatisfactory，atthesametimemostunexpected。
　　Thesoundofcannonhadbeenheardbythenativesformanymiles；thishadawakenedtheircuriosity，andnumbershadspedfromthesurroundingheightsandsatisfiedthemselvesthatseveralelephantshadbeenkilled。
　　ThenativesofBeddenflockedtoourlittlecampinhundreds，andweredelightedatreceivingpermissiontotakeasmuchelephant’sfleshastheyrequired。Theyracedalongthebankforacoupleofmilestothespotwherethetwoelephantshadbeensecuredbymypeople，andtoweduponasand-bank。
　　Ihadsentdownanoggurtomakesureoftheheads，astheopportunityofobtainingentireskullsseldomoffered。Thesetwoheadshadnowbeenbroughtsafelytocamp，andthenativeswereemployedincleaningeveryatomoffleshfromthebone。
　　Inthemeantime，greatnumbersofourenemiesweretobeseensquattingupontheheights，watchingthehappierBarisofBedden，whohadcongregatedlikevulturesintheriver，andwerequarrellingandscramblingovertheimmensecarcasesoftheelephants。Thetemptationwastoogreattowithstand。Whocouldresistflesh?Themouthsofourenemieswerewatering，astheywatchedtheheavyloadsofredmeatcarriedupontheheadsoftherivalBaris。Intheafternoon，amessengerhailedthesentrytosaythatoneofthesheikswishedtopresenthimselftometocraveacessationofhostilities。Shortlyafterthedisappearanceofthismanwithacourteousanswer，abatchofmessengersarrivedtobegthattheirchiefmightbereceived，astheyalldesiredpeace。
　　OnthefollowingmorningIheldagenerallevee。Abouttwentyheadmen，orsheiksofprincipalvillages，attendedbymanyoftheirpeople，cametopresentthemselvesandtosueforpeace。Ireceivedthechiefsonmydiahbeeah，andeachreceivedapresentofalongblueshirtashesteppedonboard。TheynowseatedthemselvesbyBedden，andageneralexplanationtookplace。
　　Iassuredthemofmyregretthattheyhadforcedmeintowar，asmymissiontothecountryhadbeenoneofpeace；atthesametimetheymusthaveseenhowimpossibleitwastoresistthetroopswhowerearmedwithweaponsofprecision，anddrilledinamannerverydifferentfromthecompaniesofslave-hunters。
　　ItoldthemthatIhadmanythousandcattle，andthathadtheyagreedtosellmethecornthatwasabsolutelyneededforthetroops，Ishouldhavepaidforitpunctuallywithcows，asIhadpromisedthemwhenI
　　firstenteredtheirdistrict。Ialsoexplainedthat，astheymusthaveobserved，Ihadnevertakenasingleheadofcattlefromthem，althoughIhadfrequentlyheardthelowingoftheiroxen。Ihadadoptedthisconduct，althoughinactualwar，merelytoimpressuponthemthefactthattheymightdependuponmyword。Ihadofferedtoexchangemycattlefortheircorn；thushadItakentheircattle，theymighthavedisbelievedmysincerity。
　　Theyreplied，that”itmustbeexpectedthatlittledifferenceswouldoccuratthebeginning。”TheyhadbeenincitedagainstusbytheBarisofBelinian，andthewarwasentirelytheirownfault。Atthesametimetheylaughed，andsaidthat”hungerwasaverybadthing，andthathungrymenwouldalwaysfilltheirstomachs，iftheycould，thereforewehadbeenquiterighttotaketheircorn。”Theydeclaredthatitdidnotintheleastmatter，astheislandswereveryfertile，andwouldproduceanothercropveryquickly；inthemeantimetheyhadagoodsupplyconcealed，andtheirlossonlynecessitatedalittleextralabour。
　　Theycontinuedthispeaceableconversationbysaying，that”theelephantswereseldomseeninthisdistrict，andthattheBarisdidnotunderstandsuchhunting，buttheyhadheardthecannons，andtheyknewthatweshouldbeabletokillthem。”Themeetingconcludedbyarequestformeat；andthesheikshavinggiveninstructionstocertainmessengers，despatchedthemtosummontheirpeopletothesand-bank，wheretheremainsoftheelephantswerelying。
　　Inashorttime，swarmsofnatives，latelyourenemies，werecollectingfromallquarters，andhurryingtowardstheattractivespot，asthoughtheyweregoingtoafair。
　　Igavetheheadmen[*]apresentofbeads，andtookthemtoadmirethemselvesinthelargeglasswithinthecabinofthediahbeeah。I
　　scrambledsomepoundsofbeadsamongtheirpeople，andgotupfoot-racesforprizes。
　　[*Footnote：Thesuperiorchiefwaspresentedwithacostumewhichdelightedhim。Thiswasalongblueshirtwithredwaist-band，abrighttinfunnelinvertedtoformahelmetwithafeatherinthetube，andapairofspectacles。Hedeclaredthathewouldbe”theadmirationofthewomen。”]
　　Thenativesselectedsomeoftheirbestrunners；butalthoughtheyranwell，theywereallbeatenbyAliNedjarofthe”FortyThieves，”whowasthechampionrunneroftheexpedition。
　　Thesheiksrequestedthatthecannonmightbefiredfortheiramusement。
　　Ashotwithblankcartridgemadethemlookveryserious。Theythenwenttolookatthetwoelephants’heads，whichtheybelievedhadbeenblownoffbythecannononthedayofthehunt。
　　Theyreturnedtothediahbeeah，andorderedtheirpeopletobringthepresenttheyhadpreparedforme。Thisconsistedofthirty-onejarsofmerissa，eachofwhichwasdulytastedbythemselvesasaproofoftheabsenceofpoison。