The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-15

had not as yet discovered me, but I
could almost e my heart beating,
for I expected every moment that they
would spy me. a few seconds later
suddenly felt Il tremendous weight on
my left leg near the hip. and could
just see h a one of the huge brutes
was towering right over me, and that
one of his hind feet was pressing on
my thigh, sending the lower part of
my body and legs still farther into the
mud. At that moment | felt thankful
that The soil was SO soft and yielding:
otherwise, my leg would undoubtedly
nave been crushed to pulp: and even
as 1t was 1 was afraid that the bone
had been broken.
The pain was eXcruciating. and T.
thought l should be unable to prevent
myself crying out with agony. al
though, had ! uttered the least sound
my position would. of course. have
laeen instantly revealed to my antag-
onists. Fortunately ] managed to re-
main silent, but in spite of so doing
l did not think they could fail to find
me.
1t seemed hours to me before the
elephant removed her leg, although in
reality it could not have beer more
than three of fou seconds before she
stumbled a little farther on.
The elephants continued their
search for several minutes, during
which they again approached quite
lclose to me. l began to fel l could not
stand the strain much longer: / be-
came very dizzy. and thought every
second that / was going to lose con-
seriousness.
Just as the beasts appeared to be
moving farther away one of them dis
lowered my old felt hat. This had
the effect Of causing a diversion. for
as soon as n picked it up in her
trunk the other one tried to take it
from her: They kept this up for Il
they on pulling my hat to pieces that
l began to think they had almost for
gotten me The distance between US
gradually became greater and greater,
and as 1 was anything but comfort
able, lying In the mud with a damaged
leg. ] decided to try to make my way
out. hoping that 1 should then find my
boys.
i succeeded. with great difficulty, in
gaining a sitting posture. but my eff
forts We're too premature. The pain
from my wounded limb was so intense
that as soon as 1 tried to stand l could
not resist giving vent to a feeble cry.
~ was quite sufficient. however. to
prove my undoing; the elephants
heard the sound and made straight for
me as quickly as the swampy ground
would allow. l again tried to lie down
IN order to escape them, but they were
not to be outwitted a second time.
One of the brutes soon found me, and.
IN spite Of my desperate efforts to get
clear. seized me by the back of my old
Khaki hunting shirt 1 was wearing and
lifted me two or three feet from the
ground. 1 thought my last
had come. but the strain proved too
much for the shirt and it gave way,
with he result that l fell into the
mud with a tremendous splash. The
beast again tried to get hold of me,
but l cannot remember what follow
ed. as / became insensible.
When l opened my eyes some min.
utes later / could hear my boys en-
%deavoring to reach me. can only
surmise that h elephants concluded
l was dead. as l showed no sign of
life, and accordingly left me. AS soon
as the animals had got q safe distance
away the natives came to my assist
ance. and carried me out of tho
swamp to a shady spot under a tree.
Here / found, to my establishment.
that no bones were broken, but / was
terribly bruised and shaken, and could
not possibly stand or sit up. Four of
the boys ran to the camp and got
my hammock. which they slung on a
pole, and then carried me to Lukapo.
the headquarters Of the Katanga
Concessions company. 1 had sent a
messenger on to say that a sick white
man was on his way to their settle
men and the Belgian doctor had a
bed prepared for me in his impro-
vised hospital. They gave me every
care and attention. but 1t was over
three weeks before I could proceed
back to BangWeolo.