210 OLD LADY ALARMED. 



and being very much fatigued turned in early. Before 

 I retired the chief again came to see me, thanked me 

 for the meat, and did all he could to make me pro- 

 mise to spend a few days at his village, so that I might 

 shoot plenty of " nyama " for his people, but time 

 would not permit. He could not understand why I 

 preferred sleeping out under a tree with my men and 

 their fires all around, and I confess to feeling that I 

 did not as a rule place sufficient confidence in these 

 good-hearted savages. 



Just after I lay down, the man who had shewn me 

 the waterbuck came in a state of great excitement to 

 say that his mother had gone to a stream close to the 

 village to fetch waier, and while she was filling her 

 calabash a large elephant with long tusks had come 

 down to drink, and the old lady had run away dread- 

 fully frightened, leaving her pitcher behind. The moon 

 being now full, and shining briglitly, I determined, 

 as it was only a short way, to go and try if anything 

 was to be seen. Accordingly I got up, took the gum- 

 tickler and two rifles, and accompanied by Mobita, 

 the native, and his mother, started for the spot, the 

 old woman leading the way in the most plucky 

 manner. 



Within five hundred yards of the village I was 

 shewn the spot where the occurrence had taken place. 

 There could be no doubt as to the truth of the 

 story, as there lay the calabash, and close by was the 

 spoor of what seemed to be a large elephant. Thank- 

 ing my guide for her services, and promising her some 

 calico as a reward, I dismissed her, and followed up 

 the spoor with two men. The elephant had walked 



