Page 52 - Adventures in Africa
P. 52

“ Fire  at  that fellow  opposite/'  be cried.  “  I’ll  take
                         the  tiext,  and  they’ll probably turn  aside.”
                            We  almost at  the  same moment  pulled our triggers*

                         The  elephant  at which  my  uncle  fired  stopped  short,
                         then  down  it  came  with  a  crash  on  its  knees;  while
                         the  one  I  aimed  at  rushed  by  with  its  companions,
                         very  nearly  giving*  me  an  ugly  kick with  its feet.

                            W e  had  both  dropped  behind  the  bush  the  moment
                         we  had  delivered  our  tire.  On  went  the  creatures

                         trumpeting with  rage,  and  disappointed  at  not  find­
                         ing  us*
                            We  were  not  free  from  danger,  for  it  was  possible

                         that  they  might  return.           A s  soon,  therefore,  as  their
                         tails  had  disappeared  among  the  brushwood,  wc  re­
                         loaded  and  ran  towards  some  trees,  the  trunks  of

                         which  would  afford  us  some  protection.  Here  we
                         waited  a  short  time  in  sight  of  the  elephant  which
                         lay dead  on  the  ground.  W e coujd hear  the  trumpet­

                         ing  of the  others  grow  less distinct  as they made their
                         way  through  the  forest,  either  influenced  by  fear  or
                          excited  by  rage,  fancying  they  were  still  following

                          us  up.
                             u They  will  not  come  back  for  the  present,"  said
                          my  uncle  at  length  as we  issued  out  from  among  the

                          trees,  when  he  at  once  began  to  cut  out  the  tusks
                          from tthe dead elephant.  These lie calculated  weighed
                          together fully a  hundred  and  ten  pounds.  This,  how­

                          ever,  was  a  greater  weight  than  he  could  carry,  and
                          he  would  not  allow me  to  attempt  to  help  him.
                             u You  shall  convey  one  of the  feet  to  the  camp,  and

                          we  will  try  our  skill  in  cooking  it,'J  he  said,  dexter­
                          ously  cutting  it  off.
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