Elephant Summary and Analysis

Capstick's experience with felines, including jaguars and lions, was considerable. Therefore, most safari operators assumed he had some experience with elephants. He finds himself guiding Antonio, an Italian client, on an Elephant hunt. Capstick is armed with a .375 Magnum and assisted by Silent. Antonio is armed with a .475 No. 2 Jeffery's double-barreled express rifle, once owned by Mussolini. The party stalks up to an elephant, and then Silent falls back with Capstick and Antonio close with the animal. Antonio confides that this is his first elephant stalk. Capstick does not confide that it is his, too. The two men advance upon the elephant without seeing it. Suddenly, Capstick realizes they have missed seeing it only because of its size. They have closed to within only a few yards. Capstick asserts that no writing can ever convey the immense size of an elephant...