"Narrow
Escape"
Oil on panel, 18x36"
SOLD
Man and horse are exhausted from a long
ride, when the hunter comes face to face with his chosen prey.
He takes careful aim at the elephant from the back of his horse.
The elephant had already been wigged behind the ear and has now
turned to catch sight of its foe. Then as the elephant turns
sideways, the man fires from his steady mount, hitting the elephant
between the neck and shoulder. Recoiling from the impact, the
elephant backs up a few paces and turns to face the enemy again.
It is about thirty yards distant as the hunter starts to reload
his rifle. Expecting a charge any moment, he grabs the bridle
and turns the horses head away so as to get a good start.
Just then, he sees the elephant coming on at a good pace, the
hunter gives spur, but his horse doesnt respond. It iss
tired. Instead of taking off at speed, it goes into a trot and
then a canter, but never a gallop, despite the riders urging.
In no time at all the elephant is upon him with a deafening scream
from above, and both he and the horse are violently dashed to
the ground. The elephant towers over the man and before he can
recover himself and his gun, it drops to the ground, kneeling
and pushing its tusks into the ground. The hunter feels sure
his time iss up. Suddenly the hunter finds himself underneath
the beast but behind the front legs, and miraculously, he has
been spared. He rolls from under the massive bulk and quickly
makes for the cover of the nearby bush, with only scratches and
bruises. He can see his saddle on the ground, but no horse. The
elephant, still very agitated, swings its head from side to side
looking for its foe. The hunter tries to run in the opposite
direction of the elephants line of vision constantly keeping
the elephants hindquarters in front of him.
It is September 17, 1878 in Mashuna Land,
and the hunter is the famous Frederick Courteney Selous.
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