TREED BY AN ELEPHANT 241 



boy, I was about to descend, grab my rifle, and 

 help him out of the scrape, when the elephant, 

 on the far side of the ant-hill, began tearing it 

 down with her tusks. I realised that now was 

 Kongoni's opportunity to escape. From the op- 

 posite side of the ant-hill he could not see what 

 was taking place, so I called out, 'now is your 

 chance, run for the tree!' 



"With the ant-hill between him and the in- 

 furiated animal, he bounded toward me and, as 

 he reached the stub and began climbing up, I 

 leaned down and gave him a helping hand, and 

 the next instant he was safe in the branches. 



"The elephant demolished that ant-hill as 

 completely as a stick of dynamite could have 

 wrecked it, and then stood over the ruins, sur- 

 prised, no doubt, at not finding her victim. 

 The moving branches and the scratching of our 

 bodies on the limbs must have betrayed our po- 

 sition, for she caught sight of us and bore down 

 on the tree. 



"Before climbing the tree, which was fully 

 eight inches in diameter, it seemed impossible 

 that any elephant could push it over, but as I 

 looked down and saw her put her great head 

 against it, it was evident that she intended to 

 make the attempt. 



