340 



THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



THE STORM. 



the air, and ere it was yet dark, we had a repetition of yes- 

 terday's storm ; the river roaring past us with frightful fury ; 

 troops of elephants, flying from the scene of slaughter, passed 

 close to our wagons during the darkness, their wild voices 

 echoing among the mountains, and sounding like trumpets 

 above the tempest. It was impossible to keep the fires burn- 

 ing, and the oxen and sheep were alarmed to such a degree 

 that they broke from the kraal, and sought safety in the 

 wilderness. Tired as I was, the excitement I had under- 

 gone banished sleep from my eyes. I ruminated on the spi- 

 rit-stirring events of the day, and burned with impatience to 

 renew them. Heedless of the withering blast that howled 

 without, I felt that my most sanguine expectations had been 

 realized, and that we had already been amply repaid for the 

 difficulties, privations, and dangers that we had encountered 

 in our toilsome journey towards this fairy-land of sport. 



It was still raining heavily when the day gloomily dawned. 

 The mountain torrents having overflowed their banks, the 

 valley in which we were encamped had become a continuous 



