The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-03-12
THE STRANGE STORY
OF
Allan Quatermain'SW Wife
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR OF "SHE," "KINa SoLoMoy's
MINES" "JEss," "CLEo-
PATRA," ETc.
AN AFRICAN ROMANCE.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
CHAPTER III.-CoNrrNuEp.

By this time, between fright and
1truggling, was pretty we'll done. l
can not remember how got from under
the fallen tree, or indeed any thing, un-
I'll l found myself sitting on the ground
drinking some peach brandy from a
flask, and old Indaba-zimbi opposite
TO me nodding his white locks
sagely, while no fired of moral refec-
tiOns on the narrowness Of my escape,
and my unwisdom in not having taken
his advice togo on foot. That reminded
me Of my horso-I got up and went to
look at it. II was quite dead, the blow
Of the elephants trunk had fallen on the
eaddle, breaking the framework and
rendering 1t useless. reflected that In
another two seconds IL would have fall
On on me. Icalled TO Indaba-zimbi and
asked which way the elephants had
gone.
"There!" he said, pointing down tho
gully, land we had better go after them,
Macumazahn. We have had the bad
luck, now for the good"
There was philosophy in this, though,
10 tell the truth, did not feel particu-
larly keen on elephants at the moment.
Iseomed 10 have had enough OF them.
However, 1t would never do to show the
white feather before the boys, so as
sented with much outward readiness,
and We started, | on the second horse,
and the Others on foot. When we had
travelled for the best part Of an hour
down the valley all Of sudden we
game upon the whole herd, which num-
bored little more than eighty. Just
In front Of them the bush was so thick
ihat they seemed to hesitate about en-
tering II, and the sides Of the valley
we're 80 rocky and steep at this point
that they could not climb them.
Thoy saw US at the same moment as
We saw them, and inwardly was filled
with fears lest they should take 1t into
their heads to charge back up the gully
But they did not; trumpeting aloud
they rushed at the thick bush which
went down before them like corn before
sickle. do not think that in all my
experiences ever heard any thing TO
equal the sound they made as they
crashed through and over the shrubs
and trees. Before them was q dense
forest belt from O hundred TO hundred
and fifty feet in width. As they rushed
on 1t fell, SO that behind them was moth
ing but q level roadway strewed with
fallen runks, crushed branches, and
here and there tree, too strong even
for them left standing amid the wreck.
On theyMent and, Notwithstanding the
nature Of the ground over which they
had TO travel. they kept their distance
ahead OF us. This sort OF thing con-
tnued for mile or more, and then
saw that In front Of the elephants the
valley obened into space covered with
reeds and grass-it might have been five
or six acres in extent-beyond which
the valley ran on again.
The herd reached the edge Of this ex.
panse, and for moment pulled up, hes
itating evidently they mistrusted 1t.
My men yelled aloud as only Kafirs can,
and that settled them. Headed by the
wounded bull, whose martial ardor, like
my own, was somewhat cooled, they
spread out and dashed into the treach-
erous swamp, for such 1t was, though
just thea there was no water TO be seen.
For few yards all went we'll with them,
though they clearly found 1t heavy
going; then suddenly the great bull
sunk up 10 his belly in the stiff, peaty
soil, and remained fred. The others,
mad with fear, took no heed Of his
struggles and trumpstings, but plunged
On 10 meet the Same fate. In Ave min
utes the Whole herd OF them was hope.
iossly begged, the more they struggled
70 escapo the Deeper they sank. There
was one sxoeption, indeed, COW with
calf managed 70 win back 10 arm shore,
and. lifting shsr trunk prepared 70
spsizss wssass ". Husssthss me!