268 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



bushes, so, without waiting- to see what it was all 

 about, I turned and made hasty strides for the 

 shelter of the rock, having no desire to be trampled 

 to pieces in that dense undergrowth, where there 

 was little chance for me and every chance for the 

 elephant. 



From our position on the rock we saw the 

 elephant trot off through the thick bush, appa- 

 rently not much hurt. He was more or less con- 

 cealed from our view, but he seemed to be making 

 for the tail end of the safari, which was still some 

 distance away. 



I told Mrs. B. to remain at this spot, as it was a 

 comparatively safe place on the edge of the thicket, 

 with the high rock close by in case of need. I also 

 ordered Abbudi to remain with her, and guard her 

 from all danger until we returned, 



B. and I then mounted our horses and rode 

 back to protect the rest of the safari in case the 

 brute should make an attack. We soon got among 

 a thick belt of bush into which the elephant had 

 disappeared, and here we dismounted and advanced 

 cautiously on foot, leaving the horses with the syces. 

 The Headman, who was cominof alono- with some of 

 the donkeys, shouted out to us that the brute had 

 just passed him and he was afraid it was going 

 to attack another batch of men and donkeys which 

 were following close behind. We therefore"pushed 



