a 
40 IN BRIGHTEST AFRICA 
I agreed as we reloaded, and we were about to start 
following when his screaming, grunting, roaring at- 
tack began again. Exactly the same thing happened 
as the first time except that this time Mrs. Akeley, 
the boy, and I were all together. We fired as we had 
before. He stopped with the first shot and took all 
the others standing, finally turning and retreating 
again. Apparently our shots had no effect except 
to make him stop and think. I was sick of it, for 
maybe next time he wouldn’t stop and evidently we 
couldn’t knock him down. We had about finished 
reloading when we heard him once more. There was 
nothing to do but stand the charge, for to run was 
fatal. So wewaited. There was an appreciable time 
when I could hear his onrush but couldn’t see him. 
Then I caught sight of him. He wasn’t coming 
straight for us, but was charging at a point thirty yards 
to one side of us and thrashing back and forth a great 
branch of tree in his trunk. Why his charge was so 
misdirected I didn’t know, but I was profoundly 
grateful. As he ran I had a good brain shot from the 
side. I fired, and he fell stone dead. With the 
greatest sense of relief in the world I went over to 
him. As I stood by the carcass I felt very small in- 
deed. Mrs. Akeley sat down and drew a long breath 
before she spoke. 
“T want to go home,” she said at last, 
house for the rest of my life.” 
Then I heard a commotion in the bush in front of 
the dead elephant and as I looked up a black boy 
carrying a cringing monkey appeared. Only the 
¢ 
‘and keep 
