48 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
was being hauled across one of these temporary 
bridges. As the trolley with its heavy load required 
very careful manipulation, my head mason, Heera 
Singh, stood on the top of the stone to direct 
operations, while the overseer, Purshotam Hurjee, 
superintended the gangs of men who hauled the 
ropes at either end in order to steady it up and 
down the inclines. But we did not know that the 
stream had succeeded in washing away the founda- 
tions of one of the log supports; and as the weight 
of the trolley with the stone came on the under- 
mined pier, the rails tilted up and over went the 
whole thing into the river, just as I snapped the 
g into the 
picture. Heera Singh made a wild sprin 
water to get clear of the falling stone, while 
Purshotam and the rest fled as if for their lives to 
the bank. It was altogether a most comical sight, 
and an extraordinary chance that at the very moment 
of the accident I should be taking a photograph of 
the operation. Fortunately, no one was injured in 
the slightest, and the stone was recovered undamaged 
with but little trouble. 
Not long after this occurrence my own labours 
were one day nearly brought to a sudden and un- 
pleasant end. I was travelling along in an empty 
trolley which, pushed by two sturdy Pathans, was 
returning to the quarry for sand. Presently we 
came to the sharp incline which led to the log bridge 
