Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1905-02-03

a South African newspaper has a
thrilling account OF two Englishmcn
who went out to hunt elephants. They
were Capt. MedliCott and 4 MIR. Bal
lard. Accompanied by scvcra! ma.
tives they confronted Il huge elcphan:
The tusker trumpetcd charge and
as the rifles rang out-thcrc was only
his big chest to aim at. for he had
raised aloft his trunk-hc came full
speed across the clearing, red.
mouthcd. Glaring-tuskcd. screaming.
active mammoth. Ballard made a
rapid flank movement to the right.
His objective was thorn tree; he
and the elephant arrived there to-
gethcr. Down came the tree in front
OF the elephant. Ballard's gun was
flung into the middle Of the clearing
and boughs and thorns pinned the
hunter 10 the ground. The elephant
swcrvcd like a skater doing the out
side edge. Umhlupc. the chief na.
tive hunter. did not wait. With n yell
To Capt. Medl!cott OF Run. boss he
made frantic leap for fix tree.
Then the elephant charged Capt.
MedliCOtt. who !Ew three feet in
front Of him hole In the ground. He
didn't walt TO investigate. but divcd
feet first down the hole. His gun.
which he had held aloft, crossed tnc
hole and remained ouI T!dc, almost
dislocatinG his arm with the jerk.
lie had landed In one Of the old
mealIe pits of Il disused kraal, circu.
In Nnn To-, ~. L IT.
and eight feet in diameter in which
natives empty their grain. Thinking
OF Ballard, the captain crcpt quietly
up to the hole and listened There
Was no sound. He raised himself
cautiously and pushed his head
through the orihCc. The sight that
met him froZe his blood. The elc.
phant stood right over him. both
wicked eyes on the watch. and rs he
ducked his head n long. Ecrvous. sinu-
Gus trunk followed him into tho pit,
seeking To drag him from the hole
like trout from the stream. He be-
gan dodginR the trunk--undcr Il. pas I
II. behind H. round the edge Of the
pit, into the center, now crushed
against the wall and missing II by n
hair. round and round to the point OF
exhaustion. UmhlOpe. the native track.
"r, from his point OF vantage IN the
tree. saw the elephant drag forth In
triumph every article Of clothing the
lucEicss captain had worn. The tusK-
or waved thcm In Tic air ana then
stamped on them.
About this time the native heard
groan from Ballard, piUlunrh under
The thorn tree. PcrCCiving that II
one OF the white men s"ould survive
ho, Umhlopo. would he called to ac.
count Tor his inactivity. he slid quiet
~ down from his trcc and. unseen by
inc elephant. set on To tho nearest
hrahl Tor assistance. when help ar.
rived some time later the tuskcr was
gone. Ballard was rCscdcd from the
bush. where he lay seriously Injured,
ana the next move was toward the
ineaIic pit. Calls to come ont brought
10 response. Then two warriors dos
ccndcd and son u human shape. with
nothing EurDLCan about II but the
DootS. wns passed To the surface. The
captain was Cakcd from head TO
ankle with rcd clay and pcrsplation.
The two Europeans were hosIrd on
10 improviscd strctchcrs OF waffle and
ctiriod home. Ono was exhausted
aitor his uIrcO hOurs' scrimmngc and
the othor was not quite snrc which
bone In his body was the most com.
plctelv smashed"