xxin SUPERSTITION AND A SEQUEL 219 



of trees by an elephant. Rushing- out in pursuit, 

 we found that the animal was only a young male 

 with insignificant tusks, who, as an elephant often 

 will, came inquisitively on to see what new species 

 of animal he had suddenly encountered. Makabuli 

 at once sprang away to the rear, and the young 

 elephant made a short, easy rush after him, as if 

 wishing to give him a good fright. At the same 

 instant I fired in the air, hoping to scare the animal 

 away, and, as I had expected, the noise of the dis- 

 charge sent him oft" full speed in the opposite 

 direction. 



That night Makabuli, obsessed with the idea 

 that one of his wives was proving faithless to him, 

 was in such a state of excitement that he could not 

 sleep, and no amount of assurance on my part that 

 his troubles were merely imaginary would pacify 

 him. He expressed a wish to return to camp at 

 once, but I was obliged to refuse him this favour, 

 because he was the only one of our party who was 

 well acquainted with the country. 



Early next forenoon, having come across the 

 fresh spoor of four large tuskers and decided to 

 follow them up, I all at once discovered that 

 Makabuli, who was carrying extra cartridges for my 

 heavy rifle, my binoculars, and rifle telescope, was 

 missing, and thinking that a lion must have seized 

 him, or that some other mishap had befallen him, I 



