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XXVI WORK AT NAIROBI 2.93 
with the result that he had a most exciting adven- 
ture with a big bull elephant. He set out in quest 
of the depredator, and, guided by a few of the Wa 
Kikuyu, soon came upon him hidden among some 
shady trees. Waters was a great believer in a 
close shot, so he stalked up to within a few yards 
of the animal and then fired his *577, aiming for 
the heart. The elephant responded by a prompt 
and determined charge, and although Waters 
quickly let him have the left barrel as well, it 
proved of no effect; and on he came, screaming 
and trumpeting with rage. There was nothing for 
it, therefore, but to fly for dear life; so down a 
path raced Waters for all he was worth, the ele- 
phant giving vigorous chase and gaining rapidly. 
In a few seconds matters began to look very 
serious for the sportsman, for the huge monster 
was almost on him; but at the critical moment 
he stepped on to the false cover of a carefully- 
concealed game pit and disappeared from view as 
if by magic. This sudden descent of his enemy 
apparently into the bowels of the earth so startled 
the elephant that he stopped short in his career 
and made off into the jungle. As for Waters, 
he was luckily none the worse for his fall, as the 
pit was neither staked at the bottom nor very 
deep ; he soon scrambled out, and, following up 
