Page 166 - Adventures in Africa

tv hat was my horror to see the animal rush forward,
and the next moment trample Hans Scarff beneath
his feet. A single shriek escaped the miserable man,
and then all was silent. Excited as I was, 1 did not

notice that Harry fired at the second elephant at the
same moment. His bullet must have entered the

animal's brain, for it sank a helpless mass on the
ground. The rest of the herd, alarmed by the fate of
their leaders, turned round, and with loud trumpeting

rushed away into the forest.
The first elephant, in the meantime, lifted up the

body of his victim, whom he dashed violently to the
ground; and then, staggering a few paces, came
down with a crash and lay motionless.

W e hurried out of our ambush to render assistance
to Hans ; but he was dead, every bone in his body
being broken; even his features could not be re­

cognized. W e could not blame ourselves for the
occurrcncc^ though grieved at his sad fate.
W e now purposed returning to our last camp,

where we had left our fire burning* Jan begged leave
to cut off some pieces of the elephant's flesh to cook for

supper. This he did forthwith, in a more rapid way
than wre could have accomplished the task.
Covering up the body of Hans with some thick

bushes, we left it where it lay, in order to prevent the
hysenas and jackals from getting at it, and returned

to our fire.
W e had not long been seated round it, talking
over the events of the day, when Jan, starting up.,

declared that he saw the light of a fire in the
distance.