Page 94 - Adventures in Africa

sented its head to the elephant, though it trembled in
every limb.
Jan, who seemed paralyzed with fear, did not let

go as I thought he would have done, and his best
chance would have been to spring back, even though
he had fallen on the ground directly behind the ele­

phant. I did not like to shout to him for fear of
attracting the creature's attention,
Xow or never was my time to save the poor fellow,

I stepped from under cover of the tree, and, levelling
my rifle, aimed at a spot directly behind the ear.

The huge monster did not move, then presently it
began swaying to and fro. I shouted to Jan to leap
off and hurried on to help him. Before I reached the
spot, he had followed my advice, and hardly had he

done so, than down came the elephant with a crash,
to the ground. Jan raised a shout of triumph.

“ De master hab done well ! " he cried out, I
could not help joining him, and even the ox gave a
bellow of satisfaction as he saw his huge foe stretched

lifeless on the ground.
W e at once set to work to extract the tusks with
our axes. Rather than leave them, we agreed to

take them with us. W e therefore placed them on the
back of our ox, together with some slices of elephant
meat which would prevent the necessity of shooting

game during the day.
W e now pushed forward for the cave where we had

left our goods, and met with no adventures worth
noticing. W e saw numerous herds of antelopes,
giraffes, and a few ostriches. The latter I would have

killed if I could, for the sake of their valuable feathers.