GIFTS TO THE FOLK I LEAVE BEHIND ME. 371 



flight, while trying as hard as 1 could to reload the gun. 

 An elephant does not appear to be going fast when in 

 pursuit of his foe, hut trust not your eyes, or you will 

 have reason to repent it. 



Thus I was hunted from pillar to post, and kept 

 moving all the time ; ultimately the amusement became 

 so exciting that I would willingly have dispensed with 

 the attention of my pursuer, but I could not do so, 

 for still I was a perfectly used-up man. Finally he 

 nearly was on the top of me, so I turned and ran down 

 the coppy side, the monster just behind me ; the ground 

 was steep, so I suddenly, just as I thought the trunk 

 was over my shoulder, turned to the left, and the big 

 beast overshot me, and went on for fifty yards trying 

 to stop his impetus ; turning suddenly round I gave him 

 a two ounce bullet in the rump. He never chased a 

 Christian afterwards. 



At length time came for me to bid my Massara 

 for I have turned my steps homewards many days 

 since good-bye, and I really was very sorry to have 

 to do so, for they were keen, expert hunters, very 

 obliging and civil, and, I believe, strictly honest. 



Meat they had had to their hearts' content, so the 

 payment of them according to contract was settled ; but 

 I felt still their debtor, for I had obtained, while 

 among them, a valuable collection of ivory and many 

 choice blood ostrich feathers ; further, I desired to leave 

 among them something that would recall the stranger's 

 visit when he was far away. So I summoned them to 

 the wagon and handed to the chief man, for distribution, 

 a bag of blue beads, a large coil of brass wire, and three 

 or four pounds of Boer tobacco ; and to each of the 

 women, who came gracefully forward to receive it, a 



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