The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-08-10

it from being turned over, though ne
lifted it so much that had It occurred 10
him he could easily have fshed me out
with his trunk. Again he hoisted with
all his mighty strength, and l saw tnat
the tree was coming and roared aloud Tor
help. Some shots were fired close by IN
answer, but if they hit the bull their
only effect was to stir his energies 10
more active life. In another few Sec
onds my shelter would be torn away
and I should be done for. A cold per-
spiration burst over me as l realized
that I was lost Then Of a sudden re-
membered that had pistol in my belt
which I often used for dispatching
wounded game. It was loaded ana
capped. BY this time the tree was lifted
so much that could easily get my mana
down to my middle and draw the pistol
from it's case, I drew and cooked 1t.
See, the tree was coming, and there,
within three feet of my head, was tho
great brown trunk of the elephant.
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 consider
able squeeze, and next instant 1 heard q
crashing sound. The elephant had
bolted.
BY this time, between fright and
struggling, was pretty we'll done.
can not remember how got from under
the fallen tree, or indeed any thing, un-
til I found myself sitting on the ground
drinking some peach brandy from
flask, and old Indaba-zinbi opposite
to me nodding his white locks
sagely, while he fred off moral retec-
tions on the narrowness Of my escape,
and my unwisdom in not having taken
his advice togo 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 it would have fall
en- on me. I called to 1ndaba-zimbl and
asked which way the elephants had
gone.
"There!" he said, pointing down the
gully, :sand we had better 60 after them,
Macumazahn. We have had the bad
luck, now for the good"
There was philosophy in this, though
to tell the truth, did not feel partlcu-
larly keen on elephants at the moment.
seemed to have had enough Of them.
However, it would never do to show the
white feather before the boys, so as
sented with much outward readiness,
and we started, I 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 VIC
came upon the whole herd, which num-
bered little more than eighty. Just
in front of them the bush was so thick
that they seemed to hesitate about en-
tering it, and the sides of the valley
were so rocky and steep at this point
that they could not climb them.
They saw US at the same moment as
we saw them. and inwardly was filed
with fears lest they should take it 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. I do not think that in all my
experiences I ever heard any thing to
equal the sound they made as they
crashed through and over the shrubs
and trees. Before them was dense
forest belt from a hundred to q hundred
and fifty feet in width. AS they rushed
| on it fell, so that behind them was moth
ing but a level roadway strewed with
fallen trunks, crushed branches, and
here and there a tree, too strong even
for them, left standing 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 con-
tinued for mile or more, and thea
saw that in front of the elephants the
valley opened into space covered with
reeds and grass-it might have boon five
or six acres in extent-bcyond which
the valley ran on again.
The herd reached the edge Of this OK
panse, and for Il moment pulled up, hes
| itating-evidently they mistrUstcd it.
My men yelled aloud as only katiiTs can,
and that settled them. Headed by tae
wounded bull, whose martial art'oc, like
my own, was somewhat cooled, they
spread out and dashed into the treach-
| erous swamp, for such it was, though
| lust then there was no water to be seen.
For few yards all went we'll with them,
though they clearly found it heavy
going; then suddenly the great bull
sunk up to his belly in the stiff, peaty
soil, and remained fixed. The others,
mad with fear, took no heed Of his
struggles and trumpetings, Dat plunged
on to meet the same fate. In five min
utes the whole herd of them was hope
lessly begged, the more they struggled
to escape the deeper they sank. There
was one exception, indeed, COW with a
calf managed to win back to firm shore,
and, lifting her trunk, prepared to
charge as we came up. But at that mo
ment she heard the scream Of her calf,
and rushed back to its assistance, cniy
to be hogged with the others.
Such 6 scene 7 never saw before or
SAGE. Lee S"@Eio Wso SpoULcu '>Al o'+i
with the large forms OF the elephants,
ard the air rang with their screams Of
rage and terror as they wa"2d tA@ir
trunks wildly to and fro. .'cw and
again a monster would make great el-
fort to drag his mass from its p2aty bed,
only to stick fast again at the next
stroke. 1t was q most pitiable sight,
though one that gladdencd the hearts Of