xxvi WORK AT NAIROBI 3 



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 



