In a few days I was able to stroll a short distance from the camp,
always taking my gun with me. Though I still walked with some
difficulty, I every hour found my strength returning. Had we possessed
a waggon we might have loaded it with skins, so abundant was the game;
but, although we prepared a few of the most valuable, we could not
venture to add much to the cargo of our poor ox. At last my uncle,
seeing that I was strong enough to undertake the fatigue of the journey,
announced his intention of setting off, and I determined that it should
not be my fault if I broke down again.
In order to try my strength, I accompanied him on a short shooting
excursion from the camp, where we left Jan to look after the ox and our
goods. I found that I got along far better than I had expected; the
satisfaction of once more finding myself able to move about greatly
raising my spirits. We had gone but a short distance when looking over
the bushes we saw some objects moving up and down which, as we crept
nearer, turned out to be a pair of elephant's ears.
"We must have that fellow," said my uncle; "we can carry his tusks, and
one of his feet will afford us a substantial meal." The elephant, we
fancied, did not see us; and keeping ourselves concealed by the
underwood, we cautiously advanced. Presently we found ourselves on the
borders of an open glade, a few low bushes only intervening between
ourselves and the elephant. He now saw us clearly enough, and not
liking our appearance, I suppose, lifted up his trunk and began
trumpeting loudly.
"If he comes on, don't attempt to run," whispered my uncle, "but face
him for a moment, and fire at his shoulder; then leap on one side or
behind a tree, or if you can do so, climb up it with your rifle. I will
look out for myself." As he spoke the elephant began to advance towards
us. I fired, as did my uncle, the moment afterwards; but, though we
both hit him, the huge beast, after approaching a few paces nearer,
instead of charging, turned away to the left, and went crashing through
the wood.
We having reloaded were about to follow him, when the heads of nearly a
dozen other elephants appeared from the direction where we had seen the
first; and, advancing rapidly through the shrubs which they trampled
under foot, with trunks and tail stuck out, and uttering loud
trumpetings, they came rushing like a torrent down upon us.
"Come behind these bushes!" cried my uncle, "and don't move thence if
you value your life."
I felt as if my life was of very little value just then, for I could not
see how we were to escape being crushed by the huge monsters as they
rushed over us. My uncle fortunately possessed all the coolness
required by an elephant hunter.
"Fire at that fellow opposite," he cried. "I'll take the next, and
they'll probably turn aside."
We almost at the same moment pulled our triggers. The elephant at which
my uncle fired stopped short, then down it came with a crash on its
knees; while the one I aimed at rushed by with its companions, very
nearly giving me an ugly kick with its feet.
We had both dropped behind the bush the moment we had delivered our
fire. On went the creatures trumpeting with rage, and disappointed at
not finding us.
We were not free from danger, for it was possible that they might
return. As soon, therefore, as their tails had disappeared among the
brushwood, we reloaded and ran towards some trees, the trunks of which
would afford us some protection. Here we waited a short time in sight
of the elephant which lay dead on the ground. We could hear the
trumpeting of the others grow less distinct as they made their way
through the forest, either influenced by fear or excited by rage,
fancying they were still following us up.
"They will not come back for the present," said my uncle at length as we
issued out from among the trees, when he at once began to cut out the
tusks from the dead elephant. These he calculated weighed together
fully a hundred and ten pounds. This, however, was a greater weight
than he could carry, and he would not allow me to attempt to help him.
"You shall convey one of the feet to the camp, and we will try our skill
in cooking it," he said, dexterously cutting it off.
Taking a stick he ran it through the foot so that I could the more
easily carry it. He then having shouldered one of the tusks, we set out
for the camp, well satisfied with our day's sport.
As soon as we arrived we sent off Jan for the other tusk, as he could
easily find the way by the track we had made; while my uncle dug a hole
close to the fire, into which he raked a quantity of ashes, and then
covered it up. After some time he again scraped out the ashes, and
having wrapt the foot up in leaves, he put it into the hole, and covered
it up with hot earth. On the top of all he once more lit a fire, and
kept it blazing away for some time.
The fire had well-nigh burnt out when Jan returned with the other tusk.
He told us that on his way back he had seen the spoors of the elephants,
and that if we chose to follow them, he was sure that we should come up
with them, and should most probably find those we had wounded.
We now uncovered our elephant's foot, which Jan pronounced to be as
satisfactorily cooked as his own countrymen could have done it. The
flesh was soft and gelatinous, greatly resembling calves-head, and was
so tender that we could scoop it out with a spoon. I don't know that I
ever enjoyed a meal more. Although we could not venture to load our ox
with more than the two tusks we had already obtained, my uncle, hoping
soon to fall in with Mr Welbourn, determined to try and obtain the
tusks from the other two elephants we had wounded, and to leave them
concealed, until we could send for them. There was the risk, of course,
of their being discovered by the natives, as we were now approaching an
inhabited part of the country. We had still a couple of hours of
day-light, and as I did not feel myself fatigued with my previous
exertions, my uncle agreed to allow me to accompany him, while Jan was
left to clean the tusks and to prepare straps for carrying them on the
back of the ox.
We soon discovered the elephants' spoor, and followed it for some
distance, the splashes of blood we found here and there showing that the
wounded animal had stopped to rest. It would be necessary, as we
approached them, to be cautious, as they would be on the alert and ready
to revenge themselves for the injury they had received.
We now every moment expected to come upon them. We stopped to listen;
no sound could we hear to indicate that they were near us. We,
therefore, went on until, reaching the top of a hillock, we caught sight
of some water glittering among the trees. Advancing a little further a
small lakelet opened out before us, in the shallow part of which, near
the shore, stood an elephant, sucking up the water with his trunk and
throwing it over his neck and shoulders.
My uncle remarked that he was sure it was the animal we had wounded, but
that he was still too far off to give us a chance of killing him. We
were making our way among the trees, hoping to got near without being
perceived--though that was no easy matter as he kept his sharp eyes
turning about in every direction--when, from behind the grove which had
before concealed them, several more rushed out.
"They see us!" cried my uncle. "We must get up among the branches and
shoot them as they pass, for they will not let us escape as easily as
before."
Fortunately, near at hand was a tree, up which, without much difficulty,
we could make our way. My uncle, going up first, helped me to follow
him.
Scarcely had we secured ourselves when the elephants came up with their
trunks sticking out and trumpeting as loudly as before. As they kept
their eyes on the ground, they did not see us. We fired at them as they
passed.
We remained for some time expecting the wounded elephant to follow its
companions, but as it did not we began to hope that it had succumbed,
and that we might find it dead in the neighbourhood. We were about to
descend to look for it, when the heads of three giraffes, or
camelopards, as they are sometimes called, appeared among the trees; the
animals lifting up their tall necks to crop the leaves as they advanced.
As they were coming in our direction we agreed to wait. By descending
we might frighten them. In a short time one separated from the others,
and got so close that my uncle could not resist the temptation of
firing. As the shot entered its neck the graceful animal sank down to
the ground, and lay perfectly dead. The other two trotted off to a
short distance, alarmed by the report; but, seeing no human foe and not
knowing what had happened to their companion, they stopped and continued
browsing on the leaves as before.
"The chances are that they will soon come this way, and so we cannot do
better than remain where we are," observed my uncle.
We sat some time watching the graceful creatures as they stretched up
their long necks to a remarkable height, in search of the young shoots
and leaves. Presently we saw one of them turn its head and look towards
its dead companion. The next moment a lion burst out from among the
bushes and sprang towards the giraffe on the ground. I had fancied that
lions never condescended to feast on a dead animal; but probably there
was still some little life in the giraffe, or, at all events, having
only just been killed, the carcase could have had no savoury odour.
Directly afterwards we heard a roar, and another lion sprang from the
cover, the first replying with a roar which made the welkin ring. If we
could not kill the lions, it was evident that we should soon have none
of the meat to carry back with us. Instead, however, of beginning to
tear the giraffe to pieces, the lions began walking round and round it
and roaring lustily, possibly thinking that it was the bait to a trap,
as they are taught by experience to be wary, many of their relatives
having been caught in traps set by the natives. So occupied were the
brutes with this matter that they did not discover us though we were at
no great distance from them.
The two giraffes, on hearing the first lion roar, had trotted off, or
they would probably have soon been attacked.
"Stay here, Fred!" whispered my uncle to me: "I will descend and get a
shot at one of those fellows--don't be alarmed. If I kill him, the
chances are the other runs off. At all events, I will retreat to the
tree, and do you keep ready to fire, should he follow me, while I
reload. In the meantime there is no real danger."
I felt somewhat nervous at hearing this, though my uncle knew so well
what he was about that I need not have been alarmed for his safety.
Before I could reply he had descended the tree. Holding his rifle
ready, he advanced towards the lions, but even then, as he was to
leeward they did not discover him.
He was within fifteen paces of them, when he stopped and levelled his
rifle. Just then they both saw him, and looked up as if greatly
astonished at his audacity. He fired, and the first lion, giving a
spring in the air, fell over on the body of the giraffe.
The second stopped, hesitating whether to leap on his enemy or to take
to flight. This gave my uncle time to reload when he slowly stepped
back towards the tree, facing the lion, which advanced at the same pace.
"Now, Fred! let me see what you can do," he shouted out as he found that
the brute had got within range of my rifle.
I obeyed him, earnestly trusting that my shot would take effect. I felt
sure that I had hit the animal, though, when the smoke cleared off, to
my dismay I saw it about to spring at my uncle. He stood as calm as if
the creature had been a harmless sheep. Just as the lion rose from the
ground, I heard the crack of his rifle, and it fell back, shot through
the heart. I quickly scrambled down to the ground to survey the giraffe
and the two lions. My uncle seemed in no way elated by his victory.
"If we had had our waggon we might have secured the skins," he observed;
"but as it is, we must content ourselves with some of the giraffe's
flesh, which we shall find palatable enough for want of better."
Drawing his knife, he at once commenced operations on the giraffe. We
soon, having secured as much of the meat as we could require, ran a
couple of sticks through it and started off to return to the camp.
Darkness, however, came down upon us before we had gone far; still, we
hoped to be able to find our way. Scarcely, however, had the sun set,
when the mutterings and roars of lions saluted our ears; and of course
we had the uncomfortable feeling that at any moment one of them might
spring out on us. We cast many an anxious glance round, and kept our
rifles in our hands ready for instant use, hoping that we should have
time to see a lion before he was upon us. We had no fear at present of
human foes, as the country through which we were travelling was
uninhabited; though we might fall in with hunting parties, who were,
however, likely to prove friendly. Besides lions, there was a
possibility of our encountering hyaenas, leopards, and wolves, which,
when hunting in packs, are as dangerous as in other parts of the world.
My uncle made me go ahead, while he kept five or six paces behind, so
that, should a lion spring out at me, he might be ready to come to my
assistance. We kept shouting too, to scare away any of the brutes we
most dreaded; for, savage as is the lion, he is a cowardly animal except
when pressed by hunger. Fortunately the sky was clear, and the stars
shining out brightly enabled us to steer our course by them; but we went
on and on, and I began to fear that we had already passed our camp. I
expressed my apprehensions to my uncle.
"No!" he answered, "we are all right. We shall see the fire in a short
time, unless Jan has let it out, which is not likely."
"But perhaps a lion may have carried him off, and killed our ox also,
and we shall then be in a sad plight," I remarked.
"Nonsense, Fred!" he answered; "you are overtired with your long walk,
and allow gloomy apprehensions to oppress you. I wish that I had not
brought you so far."
After this I said no more, but exerted myself to the utmost; though I
could scarcely drag one foot after the other, and had it become
necessary to run for our lives, I do not think I could have moved. I
looked about, now on one side now on the other, and fancied that I could
see the vast heads and shaggy manes of huge lions watching us from among
the trees. I did not fear their roars as long as they were at a
distance. At length I heard what I took to be the mutterings of
half-a-dozen, at least, close to us. I shouted louder than ever, to try
and drive them off. As soon as I stopped shouting I listened for my
uncle's voice, dreading lest one of the brutes should have seized him.
I could not stop, to look round, and I was most thankful when I again
heard him shout--
"Go on, Fred; go on, my boy. We shall see Jan's camp-fire before long.
I don't believe there's a lion within half a mile of us. During the
night we hear their voices a long distance off."
At length I saw, right ahead, a glare cast on the trunks and branches of
the trees. It was I hoped produced by our camp-fire. Again, again, we
shouted; should any lions be stalking us, they were very likely to
follow our footsteps close up to our camp, and might pounce down upon us
at the last moment, fearful of losing their prey. I felt greatly
relieved on hearing Jan's shout in reply to ours; and pushing eagerly
on, we saw him sitting close to a blazing fire which he had made up. He
was delighted to see us, for he had become very anxious at our long
absence; especially as a troop of elephants, he said, had passed close
to the camp; and, as one of them was wounded, he knew that they had been
met with by us, and he feared might possibly have trampled us to death.
He had heard, too, the roar of lions near at hand. We found the
giraffe's flesh more palatable than I had expected. As soon as we had
eaten a hearty supper we lay down to rest, Jan promising to remain awake
and keep up a blazing fire so as to scare away the lions.
Every now and then I awoke, and could hear the roarings and mutterings
of the monarchs of the forest, which I heartily wished were sovereigns
of some other part of the world.
Greatly to my disappointment, after the fatigue I had gone through I was
unable to travel the next morning, and we had to put off our departure
for another day.
My uncle went out for a short time, to shoot an antelope or any other
species of deer he could come across for provisions, as what he killed
for food one day was unfit for eating the next.
He had been absent for some time, and as I felt that a short walk would
do me good, I took my gun, intending not to go far from the camp. I had
some hopes that I might come across an antelope or deer during my short
excursion. I of course took good care to keep a look-out on either
side, lest I should be surprised by a lion or a leopard, the animals
mostly to be feared in that region. It was not impossible that I might
fall in with an elephant, but I had no intention of attacking one if I
did, and should have ample notice of its approach, so that I might keep
out of its way. I had gone about a quarter of a mile or so from the
camp, and was thinking of turning back when I reached a tree which I
found I could easily climb, as the remains of branches stuck out almost
close to the ground. I got up for the sake of taking a survey of the
country around, and especially over that part of it we had to travel the
next morning. I found my lofty seat very pleasant, for I was well
shaded by the thick foliage over head, while a light breeze played among
the leaves, which was refreshing in the extreme. I had some difficulty
in keeping awake, but I endeavoured to do so fearful of letting go my
gun, or, perhaps, of falling to the ground myself. I did my best not to
fall asleep, by singing and by occasionally getting up and looking
around me.
The tree grew, I should have said, on the side of a bank, with a wide
extent of level ground to the eastward, dotted over with thick clumps of
trees, some large enough to be called woods; while nearer at hand, on
either side of me, the vegetation was more scattered, here and there two
or three trees only growing together. In some places single trees alone
could be seen, rising in solitary grandeur from the soil. I had just
got up when I caught sight of an elephant, which had come out from one
of the clumps I have mentioned, where it had probably been spending the
hot hours of the day, and advanced slowly towards me, now plucking a
bunch of leaves with its trunk, now pulling up a shrub or plant.
Presently I caught sight of a man with a gun in his hand coming out from
the forest to the left and making his way towards where the elephant was
feeding. He apparently did not see the animal, which was hidden from
him by an intervening clump. When he got closer I recognised my uncle.
Wishing to warn him of the neighbourhood of the elephant, I shouted as
loudly as I could bawl; but, from the distance we were apart, he could
not hear me. The elephant also took no notice of my voice, but went on
feeding as before.
Presently my uncle came in sight of the monstrous beast, which must have
seen him at the same time, for it ceased feeding and turned its head in
the direction he was coming. Nothing daunted, my uncle continued to
advance, keeping, however, more to the right, which would bring him
towards the tree on which I was perched. The elephant began to move
towards him. He quickened his pace--he was now in the open ground, over
which he was making his way, exposed to great danger. He was aware of
this and kept his gun ready to fire, though should he miss, he would be
at the mercy of the brute. I considered how I could help him, but saw
it would be madness to descend the tree to fire, and therefore remained
where I was, praying that, should my uncle fire, his shot might be
successful.
Presently, up went the elephant's trunk; and, trumpeting loudly, he went
at a fast trot directly towards my uncle, who, stopping for a moment,
levelled his rifle and fired; but, although the shot took effect, it did
not stop the elephant's progress.
He had not a moment to reload--flight was his only resource. Happily
not far off was a tree, but whether its branches grew low down enough to
enable him to climb up it, I could not see, and I trembled for his
safety. I shouted and shrieked, hoping to divert the attention of the
elephant. It appeared to me that its trunk was not a dozen yards from
my uncle. Should it once encircle him, his fate would be sealed. I
never felt more anxious in my life. I might still stop its course I
hoped, and, raising my rifle, I fired at its head, but my bullet seemed
to make not the slightest impression. I shrieked with alarm. The next
moment I saw my uncle seize the bough of a tree which had appeared to me
above his head, when, exerting all his strength, he drew himself up.
The elephant, elevating its trunk, actually touched his foot, but he
drew it beyond its reach, and quickly clambered up into a place of
safety. The elephant stood for a moment, its trunk raised as if
expecting him to fall, and then made a furious dash at the tree in a
vain endeavour to batter it down. The tree trembled from the shock but
stood firm.
The elephant then, taking my uncle's cap which had fallen off, trampled
it under foot, going round and round the tree and trumpeting loudly. It
was evidently a rogue elephant, an ill-tempered brute who had been
driven from the herd to spend a solitary existence. Such are always the
most dangerous, as they appear to have a greater hatred of man and to be
more cunning than the elephants found in herds. It seemed to have made
up its mind to besiege us. Our position was unpleasant in the extreme,
for while it remained we dared not descend, and for what we could tell,
we might be kept up our respective trees all night, and perhaps the
following day, or still longer.