436 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



wind, just as we were approaching them, and at once 

 decamped, of course, without our ever having seen 

 them. 



I had been feeling very ill for some time, but 

 the excitement and the expectation of sighting the 

 elephants every instant had kept off the attack of 

 fever that I knew was coming on. When I found 

 they had got our wind and run, I at once turned 

 back, and underwent a sharp attack of ague on the 

 way to the river. In the afternoon I went through 

 the hot dry stage, and towards evening broke into a 

 perspiration, and at once felt better. Just at sunset 

 I was sitting just outside our skerm, feeling very 

 weak and ill, when I saw a long string of Kafirs 

 approaching from Mamele's. When they came close 

 I recognised " Boy," French's gun-carrier, walking 

 in front. He was still carrying his heavy rifle. When 

 he came close up my heart misgave me, for I saw by 

 his eyes that something untoward had happened. 

 "Where is the white man, your master.?" I said. 

 " He is dead," he answered ; " the sun killed him." 



It now but remains for me to give Boy's narrative 

 of this terrible occurrence, which I took down from 

 his own lips a few days later. It is as follows : — 



"After leaving you, my master, with myself and 

 Nangora (the Makuba carrying water), followed the 

 spoor of the wounded elephant for some distance, 

 but at length lost it. We then macie for camp, and 

 whilst on our way there, came across a giraffe, which 

 my master shot. He then told Nangora to cut 

 some fat meat off the giraffe and follow us to camp, 

 he and I going on at once. My master now walked 

 in front, but did not hold what I thought was the 

 right ciirection to reach camp, though when I told 

 him so he would not listen to me, but only said, 



