Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-04-04

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elongate itself. Oh. heayensl now 1t had
nae by the hair, which, luckily for myself,
was not very long.
Then it was my turn to scream. for next
instant half square inch of hair was
dragged from my scalp by the roots. |
was being plucked alive. as | have seen
cruel Kaffir kitchen boys pluck fowl.
The elephant, however, disappointed with
the moderate results, changed his tactics.
He wound his trunk around the fallen
tree and lifted it. 1t stirred, but FORUM
ately the broken branches embedded in
the spongy soil, and some roots. which
still held. prevented it from being turned
over, though he lifted it so much that,
had it occurred TO him. he could now
have easily fished me out with his trunk.
Again he hoisted with all his mighty
strength, and | saw that the tree was
coming, and roared aloud for help. Some
shots were fired close by in answer, but if
they hit the bull, their only effect was to
stir his energies to more active life. In
another few seconds my shelter would be
torn away, and should be done for. A
cold perspiration burst over me as / real
lied that | was lost. Then of a sudden l
remembered that | had a pistol in my
belt, which | often used in dispatchlng
wounded game. 1t was loaded and cap
ped. BY this time the tree was lifted so
much that l could easily get my hand
down to my middle and draw the pistol
from its case. / drew and cooked it. See,
the tree was coming, and there, within
three feet of my head, was the great
brown trunk of the elephant. l placed
the muzzle of the pistol within an inch of
it and fired!
The result was instantaneous. Down
sunk the tree again, giving one of my legs
a considerable squeeze, and next instant |
heard a crashing sound. The elephant
had bOlted
BY this time, what between fright and
struggling, | was pretty well done. lean
not remember how got from under the
fallen tree, or indeed anything until I
found myself sitting on the ground drink
ing some peach brandy from flask and
old Indaba-zimbi opposite to me nodding
his white locks sagely, while he fired off
moral reflections on the narrowness of my
escape, and my unwisdom in not having
taken his advice to go on foot.
That reminded me of my horse-I got
up and went to look at it, 1t was quite
dead, the blow of the elephants trunk
had fallen on the saddle, breaking the
framework and rendering it useless. I
reflected that in another two seconds il
would have fallen on me. called to In
dabazimbi and asked which way the eIe-
plants had gone.
There" he said. pointing down the
gully, land we had better go after them,
MaCumaZlhn. We have had the bad luck,
now for the good"
There was philosophy in this, though,
TO tell the truth, did not feel particular
" keen on elephants at that moment. |
seemed to have had enough of them.
However, it would never do to show the
white feather before the boys, so | assented
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 sud
den we came upon the whole herd, which
numbered a little more than eighty. just
in front of them the bush was so thick
that they seemed to hesitate about enter
ing it, and the sides of the valley were 50
rocky and steep at this point that they
could not climb them.
They saw us at the same moment as we
saw them, and inwardIy was filed with
fears lest they should take it into theil
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 8
sickle
do not think that in all my experiences
ever heard anything to equal the sound
they made as they crashed through and
over the shrubs and trees. Before them
was dense forest belt from hundred
to "A hundred and fifty feet in width
As they rushed on it fell, so that behind
them was nothing but level roadway
strcwed with fallen trunks, crushed
branches, and here aud there tree, toe
strong even for them, left stand ng amid
the wreck
On they went, and, notwithstanding the
nature Of the ground over which they had
to travel, they kept their distance ahead
of us. This sort of thing continued for q
mile or more, and then saw that in front
OF the elephants the valley opened 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 a moment pulled up, hest
'''''''-1 ''i''''1'lf tlltF llllNN ttSt VI
men yelled aloud, as only Kafffrs can, ard
that settled them. Headed by the wound.
ed bull, whose martial ardor like nv
own, was somewhat cooled, they spread
out and dashed into the treacherous swamp
for such it was, though just then there
was no water to be seen.
For a few yards all went well with
them, though they clearly found it heavy
Z I, 1 ..l.-.
up to his belly in the stiff, peaty soil, and
remained fixed. The others, ma with
fear, took no heed of his struggles and
trumpetings, but plunged on to meet the
same fate. In five minutes the whole
herd of them was hopelessly begged, the
more they struggled to escape, the deeper
they sunk.
There was one exception, indeed, a COW
with calf managed to win back to firm
shore, and, lifting her trunk, prepared to
charge us as we came up. But at that mo-
ment she heard the scream of her calf, and
rushed backed to its assistance, only to be
begged with the others.
Such a scene l never saw before or since.
The swamp was spotted all over with the
large forms of the elephants, and the air
rang with their screams OF rage and ter
ror as they waved their trunks wildly to
and fro. Now and again a monster would
make great effort and drag his mass
from its peaty bed, only to stick fast again
at the next stroke. TWAS a most pitiable
sight, though one that gladdened the
hearts of my men. Even the best natives
have little compassion for the sufferings
of animals.
Well, tie rest was easy The marsh
that would not bear the elephants carried
our weight well enough Before mid.
night all were dead, for we shot them by
moonlight l would gladly have spared
the young ones aud some of the cows, but
to do so would only have meant leaving
them to perish of hunger; it was kinder
to kill them at once. The wounded bull
slew with my own hand, and l cannot
say felt much conjunction in doing so.
He knew me again, and made desperate
effort to get at me. but | am glad to say
the peat held him fast.
The plan presented curious sight when
the sun rose next morning. Owing to the
support given by the soil, none of the dead
elephants had fallen: there they all stood
as though they were asleep.
sent back for the wagons. and when
they arrived on the morrow, formed a
camp, about a mile away from the plan
Then began the work of cutting out the
elephants tuSks; it took over a week. and
for obvious reasons was disgusting task