THE CA5IP ALARJIED REJOICINGS. 39o 



I had eagerly watched the scene ; and now, strange to re- 

 late, that the danger and excitement was over, I was seized 

 with a violent tremor. After a time, however, when my 

 nerves had become somewhat composed, I pushed doTv^i part 

 of the inclosure, and, though crippled, crawled on all fours 

 up to the carcass. Having ascertained that life was extinct, 

 I scrambled on to the back of the defunct elephant, where, 

 like a schoolboy, I seated myself in triumph. 



By this time the day began to dawn. Being within hear- 

 ing of the camp, and feeling chilly, I shouted to my people 

 to bring some fire. But, though I received no answer, I 

 could distinctly hear them in earnest conversation, as if dis- 

 cussing some weighty matter. I shouted again and again, 

 but with no better success. Being convinced they must have 

 heard me, I was puzzled and vexed at not receiving a reply. 

 At last, after having waited fully a quarter of an hour, I ob- 

 served a number of flickering lights, resembling so many 

 will-o'-the-wisps, and soon afterward I was joined by my 

 men. The mystery of their unaccountable silence to me was 

 presently explained. It appeared that on first hearing my 

 shouts, which they took to be cries of distress, they were 

 struck with fear and astonishment ; and, as the shouts pro- 

 ceeded from a rather different quarter to that where they had 

 left me on the previous evening, they were led to suppose that 

 some savage beast had carried me away. Their own loud 

 talking, it seemed, had arisen in debating in what manner 

 they could best assist me. I could not help saying to myself, 

 " Plow brave and considerate !" 



There was now no want of flesh, and the result was great 

 rejoicings. The report of my success spread like wildfire, 

 and the animal was scarcely cold before scores of hungi-y 

 Bushmen — like so many vultures — had assembled to partici- 

 pate in the feast. Before noon, with the exception of the 

 sternum, "the head, and some of the larger bones, every ves- 

 tige of the giant beast had disappeared. The way in whicli 



