A KAFFIR COWARD/ 191 



go any further. The English boy told him if he went 

 away he would only have one shot at him, but that he 

 generally drove a bullet pretty straight. This argument 

 the Kaffir seemed to consider a very convincing one, as 

 he kept on with us. The elephants were on the move 

 when we came upon them, and a young bull was quietly 

 walking up a path directly towards us, with a branch held 

 in his trunk. My white companion recommended me not 

 to fire ; but, seeing the elephant's shoulder, I sent my 

 2^-ounce bullet into it. I turned and ran, but found, 

 after a dozen yards, that the coward Kaffir was in my way. 

 He did not know exactly what to do, and was not moving 

 at that rapid pace which I always considered advisable 

 after wounding an elephant in this dense forest. A 

 bundle of charmed woods was hung round this Kaffir's 

 neck, thick enough to have saved the whole Zulu nation 

 for evermore from savage elephants or hungry lions. 

 Feeling indisposed to jog on behind him, I caught hold of 

 this necklace, which was the only article of attire that he 

 wore, and dragged him back, at the same time slipping in 

 front of him. As I passed him, he turned round with 

 horror depicted in his face, and wildness in his eyes. He 

 just called out, " Bulula, bulula ! " (Shoot, shoot !) and 

 then came after me : he thought my hand had been the 

 elephant's trunk, and that he was nearly a gone Kaffir. 

 I managed to get a long thorn deep into my knee during 

 my run, which caused such pain that I could not proceed 

 on the spoor. I went a little way, and saw plenty of 

 blood, but gave up the search to the English lad and his 

 two Kaffirs, whilst I with difficulty reached home. I never 



