ioo BIG GAME SHOOTING 



remembered that we had breakfasted early and that we ought 

 to be hungry and thirsty. The Kafirs suggested that as the 

 elephants had probably come from the water in the morning, 

 we should find some in their stomachs, and they immediately 

 set to work and opened a large tusker that was lying close to 

 our bivouac. They found what they sought and, after a good 

 pull, invited me to partake. I was very thirsty, and they seemed 

 to have enjoyed their drink, so, by their directions, placing 

 a small bunch of grass as a filter, I took a mouthful, but 

 well ! I immediately got rid of it it was simply nitric acid. 

 As the elephant was opened, however, the men were not going 

 without dinner, and though I dare say it was horrible, there 

 was at the same time something grand in the sight of the 

 dark forest, lit sufficiently by the ruddy firelight to deepen the 

 gloom beyond, with the naked savages, their blazing torches 

 in their hands, walking about inside the cavernous ribs. A 

 few choice morsels from the undercut of the sirloin broiled on 

 the embers made a palatable supper, and, putting our feet to 

 the blaze, we all fell asleep. 



Whiz \ ' tao ! ' whiz ! woke me some time during the night, 

 and, sitting up, I found the Kafirs throwing brands from the 

 fire and shouting. A lion, no doubt attracted by the smell of 

 blood, was tearing at the inside of the disembowelled elephant. 

 I just got a glimpse of him, but it was too momentary for a 

 shot. We slept, and were not again disturbed. I gave the 

 dead beasts to the Ba Lala who had brought the information, 

 telling them to send me the tusks, and returned to my waggon. 

 The dozen were duly delivered in four or five days' time, though 

 the waggons had gone fifty miles farther down the Limpopo. 

 It was always so. Once the chief of a large tribe of Bushmen 

 came running as we were inspanning for the march with a 

 request that I would shoot two elephants, which he had just 

 seen coming up from the river, for him and his people. I was 

 very unwilling to stop the trek ; telling the men therefore to go 

 on, and saying I would overtake them, I jumped on a horse and 

 went off with my Bushman, he keeping well in front, though I 



