224 WELCOMED BACK. 



elephant — a young bull, with perfect tusks, two feet 

 three inches out, and thirteen inches in circumfer- 

 ence — never moved. 



While the men were engaged cutting out the 

 ivories, I tracked up the wounded elephant for more 

 than an hour, but he had gone quite away. On my 

 return I found not only the tusks taken out, but 

 about sixty natives busy cutting off the last morsels 

 from what was now only a skeleton. The news had 

 spread like lightning, and the men from adjacent 

 villages had rushed to the spot like hungry vul- 

 tures. Fires had been kindled, and sundry dinners 

 were being cooked, while quantities of meat lay about 

 in detached masses, each individual who purposed 

 taking any home having made a heap of his own. I 

 did not delay long, and after a brisk walk of about 

 an hour arrived at Pamafunda at 4.30 p.m., on the 

 4th October. I was first in camp, having walked 

 away from the men the last mile. All were well, and 

 welcomed me back. The Search was nearly asunder, 

 and Mr. Young informed me that there were plenty 

 of men to be had to carry everything past the Cata- 

 racts. Moloka, on seeing me, ran up, and shaking me 

 violently by the hand, said, "Well, English lion 

 no dead ! Massa kill plenty jo vo?" I replied I had 

 had good sport, and would tell him all about it by- 

 and-by, knowing at the same time that my late com- 

 panions would save me the trouble. "Ah!" said 

 Moloka, " next massa go shoot, Moloka want to come." 

 And I promised to ask leave for him to do so. 



The next welcome I received was from old Gegara, 

 who came up with a large bundle of cloth, beads, am- 



