362' ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



July, of disgusting confusion. All Alvez's people were upon and 

 1875. about them, hacking and tearing them to pieces, and liglit- 

 ing and squabbling among themselves like a pack of pariah 

 dogs. 



Encouraged by the sight of this big game, I went out the 

 next day for about six hours, and beat up every bit of cover I 

 came across, and just before returning a large eland bounded 

 out of a thicket. I knocked him over with a shell, but he re- 

 gained his feet, and I then sent a bullet into him from my sec- 

 ond barrel. I found that the bullet had gone through heart 

 and lungs ; but the shell, striking the thicker part of the bone 

 of the shoulder, had burst without penetrating far. The base 

 of the shell was flattened out like a wafer. 



One of my men also brought in an eland, and my party was 

 then as well provided with meat as Alvez's people, who kept 

 the elephants entirely to themselves. They would not give us 

 any, though I had endeavored to buy some portion for my men ; 

 and even the small piece of trunk which I obtained to gratify 

 my curiosity I paid highly for. 



The meat having been packed, we continued our journey, and, 

 after only two hours' marching through jungle, came upon some 

 villages, from which the inhabitants had fled. 



Alvez's people instantly stopped, and declared they would 

 camp there, as any amount of food was to be obtained for 

 nothing. 



Thoroughly disgusted, I went on in the proper direction with 

 a few of my followers, leaving orders for Bombay to come 

 after me with the remaining men and their loads. After walk- 

 ing an hour, I sat under a tree to wait for Bombay. He shortly 

 appeared with half a dozen men and no loads, for Alvez having 

 taken another road, my people had followed him. It Avas use- 

 less to send after him, so nothing remained but to return and 

 follow him up. 



Passing through & village which had been pillaged, I flushed 

 a large flock of guinea-fowl feeding on corn scattered about by 

 the plunderers, and bagged one flne fellow, which put me in 

 better humor before I reached camp. 



• For some considerable time before overtaking Alvez, the 

 stench arising from the loads of putrid elephant, which, having 



