The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-03-12
Misrellunfulls Rranina.
From Andersoa's Explorations in South Western
Africnl
& Nights Adventures


reach the Ngami-the goal of wishes-I
determined, before finally leaving Kubis, to
devote one more day. or rather night, TO the
destruction Of the denizens of the forest.
bnt the adventure nearly terminated fatally:
and the night of the 18th July, will eve, be
remembered by me as one of the most event.
tul epochs of my life for, in the course of il
was three several times in the very laws Of
death, and only escaped destruction By a
mirarle.
From the constant persecution to which
the larger game had of late been subjected
AT hobis, 1t had become not only scarce. but
wary and hearing that elephants and rhnoc.
crosses stu continued to resort TO Ab-ghan
forthwith proceeded there on the night in
question. Somewhat incautiouslv, | took
up NV position-alone, as usual-on r mar.
row neck Of land dividing two smaI pools
the space on either side of my "skarm he.
ing only sufficient 70: large animal to stand
between me and the water. | was provid
ed with blanket, and two or three SPARE
guns.
1t was one Of those magnificent tropical
moonlight nights, when an indeScribablv
soft and enchanting light is shed over the
slnmbering landscape; the moon was so
bright ahd clear that could discern even a
small animal at n considerable distance.
had just completed my arrangements
when noise, that can liken only to the
passage OF n train of artillery, broke the Still
ness ot :he air; it evidently came fiom the
direction OF one of the numerous stony nat
or rather tracks leading to the water. and I
Imagined 1t WAS caused hy some wapons
that might have crossed the Kalahari. Rails
ing mvseli partially from my recumbent DOS
tnre. tixel my eyes steadily on the part Of
the bush whence the strange sounds pro
ceeded; but for some time WAS unable TO
make out the cause. All at ouce. however,
the mystery was explained by the appear.
ance ot an immense elephant. Immediately
followed 10y others, amounting to eighteen
Their towering forms told me al a planc.
that they were all males. II was sDleudiJ
sight to see so many huge creatures an.
preaching with free, sweeping, unsuspect.
Ing and stately step. The somewhat eleyat
ed groand whence they emerged, AMI which
gradually sl"ped towards The wafer, together
with the misty night air, gave an increased
appearance Of bulk and mghtiness to their
naturally giant structures.
CIouching down as low AS possible in IN.
ready rifle in the approach "f the leading
male who, unconscious o. pe'il, was making
straight for my hiding place. The position
OF his body, however, WAS unfavorabe for a
SHOT An !. knowing from experience that /
had little chance OF ohLining more than a
single good one. | wait for an oppnrtunir,
to fire at his shoulder, which, as before said.
Is preferable To any other part when shoot
ing at night. but this chanse, unfortunate.
~, Was not afforded ill hi. enormous bulk
lowered above my head. The consequence
was, that. while in the act Of Iaising the
muzzle of my ride over the skarm," m,
body caught his eve, and before | could
place the piece I" INV shoulder, he swunp
himself round, and, VT, trunk elevated ami
ears spread. desperately charged me. 1t was
now too late 10 think of flight, much less of
staying the savage beast. My own life WAS
In Imminent Jeopardy; and seeing that. if
remained partially erect, he would inevitably
seize me with his proboscis. | threw mvself
on my back with some violence. in which
position. and without shouldering the rifle
hired upwards at random towards his chest.
uttering, a. the same time, the most piercing
shouts and cries. The change of position,
III all human probability, saved my life for,
al the same instant, the trunk of the enrao-
ed animal descended precisely on the spot
where had been previously croucIled.
sweeping away the stones (,nany Of a large
size) that formed the fore part of my
"skarn'." like 80 many pebbles. IN another
moment his broad fore.feet passed directly
over my face. ,..l
now expected nothing short Of being
crushed 10 death But imagine my relief,
when, Instead Of renewing the charge, he
swerved to the left, and moved off with con.
siderable rapidity-most happily without
my having received other injuries than u
few bruises. occasioned by the falling Of the
stones. Under Providence, attribute NV
extraordinary escape to the confusion of the
animal caused by the wound had inflicted
ON him, aud TO the cries eiicited from ME
when in my utmost need.
Immediately after the elephant had left
me was on my legs, aud snalching up a
spare rifle lying at hand, pointed ut him.
rs he WAS retreating, and pulled the trigger
but, to my intense modification, the piece
missed fire. II was matter of thankful
ness to me. however, that a similar mishap
had not occurred when the animal charged
for had my gun not then exploded, nothing,