The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-29
CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST ROUND.

TILE
After this, as it was now midday,
and 1 had killed enough meat, we
marched back triumphantly to camp,
where I proceeded to concoct stew
of buffalo beef and compressed vege-
table.
When this was done, we ate the stew,
and then I had nap.
About 4 o'clock, however, Gobo woke
me up, and told me that the headman
of one of Wambe's kraals had arrived
to see me.
ordered him to be brought up, and
presently he came, little, wiZened,
talkative old man, with waistcloth
round his middle, and q greasy, frayed
kaross made of the skins of rock rab-
bits over his shoulders.
I told him to sit down, and then
abused him roundly.
What do you mean" I asked, by
disturbing me in this rude way?
How did he dare to cause person
of my quality and evident Importance
to be awakened in order to interview.
his entirely contemplate self"
spoke thus because 1 knew that 1t
would produce an impression on him.
Nobody except a really great man,
he would argue, would dare to speak to
him in that fashion.
Most savages are desperate bullies
at heart, and look on insolence as
sign of power.
The old man instantly collapsed.
He was utterly overcome, he said;
his heart was split in two, and we'll
realized the extent of his misbehavior.
But the occasion was very urgent.
He heard that a mighty hunter was
in the neighborhood, beautiful white
man-how beautiful he could not have
imagined had he not seen-(this to me9
and he came to beg his assistance.
The truth was that three bull ele-
phants such as no man ever saw had
for years been the terror Of their kraal,
which was but small place, cattle
kraal of the great chief Wambe, where
they lived to keep the cattle.
And now of late these elephants had
done them much damage, but last night
they had destroyed a whole patch OF
mealie land, and he feared that il
they came back they would Ill starVe
next season for want of food.
Would the mighty white man then
be pleased to come and kill the ele-
plants?
1t would be easy for him to do-oh,
most easy!
It was only necessary that he should
hide himself in tree, for there was
full moon, and then when the elephants
appeared he would speak to them with
the gun, and they would fall down
dead, and there would be an end OF
their troubling.
Of course, hummed and hawed and
made a great favor of consentins 10
this proposal, though really l was de-
lighted to have a chance.
One of the conditions that l made
was that a messenger should at once
be dispatched to Wambe, whose kraal
was two days journey from where
was, telling him that 1 proposed to
come and pay my respects to him in
few days, and to ask his formal per-
mission to shoot in his country.
Also I intimated that l was prepared
to present him with 'hongo;" that is.
blackmail, and that l hoped to 90
little trade with him in ivory. of which
1 heard he had a great quantity.
This message the old gentleman
promised to dispatch at once, though
there was something about his manner
which showed me that he was doubt
full as to how it would be received.
After that we struck our camp, and
moved on to the kraal, which we
reached about an hour before sunset.
This kraal was a collection of huts
surrounded by q slight thorn fence;
perhaps there were ten of them in all.
1t was situated in 4 kloof OF the
mountain, with a rivulet flowing down
it. &c
TO be continued0