SHARP PRACTICE. 195 



were after me, either from curiosity or rage. My shot at 

 the buck had made them acquainted with my presence. 

 They seemed to be moving round so as to cross my foot- 

 steps, and thus to block up the only path by which I 

 could retreat. I feared also, that, when they caught my 

 scent, they would hunt me up. 



Only a few days previous I had found the skeleton of a 

 Kaffir in the bush with the ribs smashed, evidently the 

 work of some powerful pressure or blow ; and Inyovu 

 seemed to think that it had been done by an elephant's 

 foot. 



I did not like the look of things, but there was very 

 little time in which to make up my mind ; so turning, I ran 

 as well as I could down the path up which I had just come, 

 hoping thus to get along in front of the elephants and before 

 they could cross my spoor. I could hear them crushing 

 through the bush nearly in front of me, and was afraid that 

 I was already blocked in, but they were still some yards 

 distant; the branches struck me some smart whacks on 

 the face, and one or two thorns buried themselves in my 

 legs. I won the race, however, though only by a few 

 yards, as the elephants were close to the path as I passed 

 them : they heard and smelt me, and gave tremendous 

 shrill screams. I kept on, and was soon clear of the 

 bush, but did not cease looking behind me until on my 

 pony's back. This sort of work certainly keeps one up to 

 the mark, and may be decidedly called sharp practice. 



o 2 



