142 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CH. xn 



night. All the same, as he raised his head, I fired 

 at it. He whirled round, made a plunge forward, 

 staggered and fell, and then lay quite still. To 

 make assurance doubly sure, I gave him a couple 

 more bullets as he lay, but we found afterwards 

 that they were not needed, as my first shot had been 

 a very lucky one and had penetrated the brain. 

 We left him where he fell and got back to our 

 perch, glad and relieved to be in safety once more. 

 As soon as it was daylight we were joined by my 

 own men and by several Wa Kamba, who had 

 been hunting in the neighbourhood. The natives 

 cut out the tusks of the hippo, which were rather 

 good ones, and feasted ravenously on the flesh, 

 while I turned my attention with gratitude to the 

 hot coffee and cakes which Mabruki had meanwhile 

 prepared. 



