1 1 1 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

 dillon's departure. 



The day after the storm more Mantatees arrived at 

 our camp ; they not only brought several fine tusks, 

 but information that elephants were exceedingly 

 abundant about four days' journey to the north. 

 Now our locality seemed to have become deserted 

 by these mammoths, so it was resolved that either 

 Dillon or myself should visit the new hunting 

 grounds with an escort of several of our Zulus. 

 Selwin's illness prevented both going, and my desire 

 was to remain with the sick man, for I had more 

 experience in such matters, and, I thought — excuse 

 egotism — more patience than my companion. I 

 dare not tell Dillon this, in case he should consider 

 that I was casting a slur on his warmth of feeling, 

 and attachment to his friend, so we resolved to 

 decide who was to hunt, or was to remain at home, 

 by the simplest of all means — " odd man out." 

 Providence favoured me, so I won, and the " irre- 

 pressible " took his departure in the afternoon. 



The details of a sick room are not interesting, 

 and the reverse of lively reading, so I will not 

 narrate them. However, I may state that I could 



