The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-12
I then very slowly, and with great dig
nifty, he knelt down.

At this point I swooned away.
When I came to myself again saw
from the moon that must have been
insensible for quite two hours.
was drenched with dew, and shiv-
ering all over.
At first I could not think where
was, when, on lifting my head, saw
the outline of the one-tusked bull still
kneeling some fve-and-tWenty PAGES
from me.
Then I remembered.
Slowly I raised myself, and was in
stantly taken with violent sickness,
the result of overe1ertion, after which
I nearly tainted a second time.
Presently 1 grew better, and consid-
cred the position.
Two of the elephants were, as I
knew, dead; but how about number
three?
There he knelt in majesty in the
lonely moonlight.
The question was, was he resting, or
dead?
got on my hands and knees, loaded
my rife, and painfully crept few
PAGES nearer.
could see his eye now for the moon
light fell full upon it; it was open, and
rather prominent.
I crouched and waited; the eyelid
did not move, nor did the great brown
body, or the trunk, or the ear, or the
tail-nothing moved.
Then 1 knew that he must be dead.
1 crept up to him-still keeping the
rife we'll forward-and gave him 4
thump, rejecting as did SO how very
near 1 had been to being "thumpee
instead of thumper.'
Ie never stirred; he certainly was
dead, though to this day do not know
if it was my random shot that killed
him. or if he died from concussion Of
the brain consequent upon the tre-
mendous shock of his contact with the
tree.
Anyhow, there he was.
Cold and beautiful he lay. or rather
knelt. as the poet neatly puts it.
Indeed, I do not think that have
ever seen a sight more imposing in it's
way than that mighty beast crouched
in majestic death and shone upon by
the lonely moon.
While I stood admring the whole
scene, and heartily congratulatins my
self upon my escape, I once more be-
gan to feel sick.
Accordingly, without waiting to ex-
anime the other two bulls, l staggered
off back to the camp, which in due
course / reached in safety.
Everybody in it was asleep.
/ did not wake them. l threw off
my coat and shoes, rolled myself up in
a blanket, and was soon fast asleep.
When I woke it was already light,
and at first thought that, like Joseph,
I had dreamed a dream.
At that moment, however. I 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.
I collapsed for q minute or two.
Gobo and another man, wrapped up
like a couple of monks in their blank
cts, thinking that I was still asleep,
were crouchIng over little fire they
had made-for the morning was damp
and chilly-and holding sweet con-
verse.
Gobo said that he was getting tired
of running after elephants which they
never caught.
MacumazAhn 0hat is myself was
without doubt q man of parts, and of
some skill in shooting, but also he was
a fool.
None but a fool would run so fast
and far after elephants which it was
impossible TO catch when they kept
cutting the spoor of fresh ones.
He certainly was fool, but he must
not be allowed to continue in his folly,
and he, Gobo, was determined to put
stop to it.
He should refuse to accompany him
any farther on so mad hunt.
Yes, the other answered. the poor
man certainly was sick in his head, and
it was quite time that they checked bis
folly while they still had a patch of
skin left upon their feet.
Moreover, he, for his part, certainly
did not like this country of Wambe's,
which really was full Of ghosts.
Only the last night lie had heard the
spooks at work; they were out shoot
ing; at least it sounded as though they
were.
1t was very queer, but perhaps their
lunatic of MASTER
"Gobo, you scoundrelr' I shouted out
at this juncture, sitting bolt upright
on the blanket, stop idling there, and
make me some coffee"
Up sprang Gobo and his friend, and
in half q moment were respectfully
skipping about in manner that con-
| trasted we'll with the lordly contempt
Of their previous conversation.
But all the same they were in ear
nest in what they said about hunting
the elephants any further. for before l
had finished my coffee they came to
me in a body, and said that if wanted
to follow those elephants I must follow
them myself, for they would not go.
1 argued with them, and affected to
| be much put out
The elephants were close at hand, l
said: I was sure of it. / had heard
| them trumpet in the night.
Yes, answered the men, mysteriously