THE HORSES REACHED. 85 



branches, hopping over others, dodging this way and that, 

 until I was completely blown, and called for a halt, as, 

 having both barrels loaded, I was anxious for a shot. 



M , however, would not hear of stopping, but still 



recommended that we should clear out of the bush with 

 the greatest quickness, as the herd had shown themselves 

 so savage. I bowed to his superior judgment, knowing 

 that he combined true courage and daring with a 

 sufficient caution to prevent recklessness for the mere 

 sake of display. We at length came to our horses, and 

 I must own I felt more comfortable when my leg was 

 over my stout game little pony, than I did when on foot 

 within a yard or so of the elephant's trunk. 



We stopped to listen, and heard the shrieks and 

 trumpets of this wild troop, and the crashing of the 

 bush, which showed that they had not yet entirely given 

 up the hope of trampling to death their insignificant but 

 annoying enemy. I had, as I before stated, dropped my 

 hat during the first hundred yards' rush, and I did not 

 care at the time to stop to pick it up. 



M soon told me that he thought we should find 



his elephant dead if we returned, as he had killed 

 rhinoceroses, and thought the growl we had heard was 

 indicative of a death-wound. As he had aimed behind the 

 shoulder, he considered such a result probable. 



Upon riding clear from the bush, we found on the 

 Natal flat a Hottentot, who was quietly sitting down 

 mending his only pair of trowsers ; he looked at us 

 very knowingly and said, " Olephants barnie qui has " 

 (Elephants very angry, sir). Upon asking him how he 



