74 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
hand of the fowler. They stood stupefied and crestfallen, and 
the waggons moved on without a word or sign of opposition. 
I brought up the rear with the loose oxen and horses. We had 
gained 300 or 400 yards from the camping ground, which was 
still in sight, when I heard the sound of running behind me, 
and turning saw a man coming on at the top of his speed after 
us. He threw up his hands to show he was carrying no arms, 
and I grounded my gun and waited for him. ‘ What is it?’ 
‘I am sent by the chief to take you wherever you like to go !’ 
‘Lead on to the Bakaa then !’ and thus ended our first and 
only difficulty with the natives. 
On our arrival we found this people in a pitiable state ; 
the crops had failed, and they were starving. The chief 
welcomed us warmly, asked what we had come for, and on 
receiving answer to hunt elephants, besought us to take his 
people and feed them, putting his country and his services 
at our disposal. On condition that 7s people during their 
stay with me were to be my people, I accepted 600 men, 
women, and children in the most terrible state of starvation. 
No white man, emaciated as these poor fellows were, could 
have walked ten yards—the two bones in the lower arm and 
leg were distinctly visible, and you could see them working in 
the joints and attachments ; in truth, nearly the whole party 
were bones covered with skin, and poor skin too, for from 
poverty of blood you could hardly have found a sound patch 
large enough to lay a crown piece on. The chief introduced 
three of the head men to me, and bade me hold them respon- 
sible for the rest, and I did—and never had the very slightest 
trouble. 
We started for the hunting grounds next morning, and were 
among the elephants in a day or two. There have been dis- 
cussions as to who is king among the beasts, and to this day 
the lion is generally given the title. But look down that narrow 
game-track. A lion is coming up it from the water. As he 
turns the curve in the winding path he sees that a rhinoceros 
or buffalo is coming down to drink. He slinks into the bush, 
ee ee ae a ale tn ae 
