Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-10-11

/ L
struck him in the ribs. But the recon- OF inc
heavy rifle held thus was very severe; IL Den.
my arm up and sent the butt Win tnuu
against the top of my shoulder ana tne sue
| of my neck, for the momentquite paraiyzing
me, and causing the weapon 10 Jump iIoli
my grasp. Meanwhile the bull was rusnlng
on. He travelled for some twenty PAGES, anu
then suddenly he stopped Family l re-
flected that he was coming back to hnlsn me,
but even the prospect OF imminent ana ureau-
full death could not rouse me into action
was utterly spent: | could not move
"Idly, almost indifferently, | watched his
movements. For moment he stood sun,
then he trumpeted till the welkin rang, ana
then very slos ly and with great dignity, he
knelt down. At this point l swooned away.
sFhen came TO myself again l saw from
the moon that | must have been insensible
for quite two hours. | was drenched with
dew and shivering all over. At first could
not think where | was, when, on lifting my
head, | saw the outline of the one tusked bull
still kneeling some five-and-twenty PAGES
from me, Then | remembered Slowly
raised myself, and was instantly taken with
a violent sickness, the result of overexertion,
after which | nearly tainted a second time.
PRESENTLY grew better, and considered the
position Two of the elephants were, as i
knew, dead; bat how about No. 81 There he
knelt in majesty in the lonely moonlight.
The question was, was he resting or deadf L
got on my hands ana knees, loaded my rifle
and painfully crept few PAGES nearer.
could see his eve now, for the moonlight fell
full upon il. 1t was open and rather promi-
nent | crouched and watched; the eyelids
did not move, nor did the great brown body,
or the trunk, or the ear, or the tail-nothing
moved Then | knew that he must be dead.
81 crept up to him-still keeping the rifle
well forward-and gave him thump, reflect
ing as did so how very near | bad been to
being 'thumpee instead of thumper.' He
never stirred; he certainly was dead, though
TO this day do not know if it was my ran
dom shot that killed him, or if he died
from conclusion of the brain consequent
upon the tremendous shock Of bis contact
with the tree Anyhow, there he was Cold
and beautiful he lay, or rather knelt as the
poet neatly puts it. Indeed. ! DO not think
that l have ever seen a sight more imposing
in its way than that mighty beast croucned
in majestic death and shone upon by the
lonely moon While stood admiring tho
whole scene, and heartily congratulating
myself upon my escape once more began
to feel sick. Accordingly, without waiting
to examine the other two bulls. | staggered
off back TO the camp, which in due course |
reached in safety Everybody in it was
asleep. | did not wake them, but hav-
ing swallowed a mouthful of brandy threw
Off my coat and shoes, rolled myself up in
blanket, and was soon fast asleep. When !
woke it was already light, and at first |
thought that, like Joseph, | had dreamed a
dream AT that moment, however, | turned
my head, and quickly knew that it was no
Dream for my neck and face were so stiff
from the blow of the butt end of the rifle
that it was agony to move them. ! collapsed !
for minute or two Gobo and another man,
wrapped up like couple of monks in their
blankets, thinking that | was still asleep,
were crouched overa little fire they had made
for the morning was damp and chilly-aEd 1
holding sweet converse
"Gobo said that he was getting tired Of 1
after elephants which they never 1
caught Macumazahn that is myself was 4
without doubt man of parts and Of some
skill in shooting, but also be was a fool. None /
but fool would run so fast and far after
elephants which it was impossible 10 catch
when they kept cutting the spoor OF fresh
mes. He certainly was fool; but he must
lot be allowed to continue in his folly, and 4
lie, Gobo, had determined to put a stop to it.
lie should refuse to accompany him any far
her on so mad hunt
Eyes, the other answered, the poor man
certainly was sick in his head, and it was
quite time that they checked his folly while
hey still had patch Of skin left upon their
Get. Moreover, he, for his part, certainly
lid not like this country Of Wambe's, which
eally was tull Of ghosts. Only the last
light be had heard the spooks at work; they
we're out shooting; at least it sounded as
hough they were. 1t was very queer, but
erhaps their lunatic Of master
COBB, You scoundrelr shouted out at
his juncture, sitting bolt upright ON the
lankets, stop idling there, and mako me
ONE fTee.'
up sprang Gobo and his friend, and in
alf a moment were respectfully skipping
bout in n manner that contrasted well with
be lordly contempt of their previous CONVEX
alton. But all the same they were in ear
est in what they said about hunting tho ele-
hants any farther, for before had finished
~ coffee they came 10 me in a body, and
nd that if | wanted to follow those Gle
hants ! must follow them by myself, for
ley would not 60
II argued with them, and affected to be
luch put out The elephants were close at
and, | said; | was sure of it; had heard
lem trumpet in the night
"Yes, answered the men, mys:eriously;
iey too had heard things in the night
lings not nice TO hear; they had heard the
looks out shooting, and would no longer re-
Iain ina country so Wiley haunted.
"'It was nonsense l replied. If ghosts
ent out shooting, surely they would use air
lns and not black powder. and ono would
ot hear an air gun. Wen, il they were
wards, and would not come, Of course /
'uld not force them to, but would make a
irgain with them. They should follow those
ephants for one half hour moro, then if we
iled to come upon them would abandon
le pursuit, and we would go straight to
'ambe, chief of the Matuku, and give him
1ngo.'
TO this compromise the men readily
creed Accordingly about half an hour
ter we struck our camp and started. and
Notwithstanding my aches and bruises do