VIII 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



hearing the first shot. My Masai interpreter told 

 me he did not move, but added that on the next 

 occasion he would ; for while standing at the edge 

 of the elephant path, he suddenly became aware that 

 a herd of elephants was approaching him at a tre- 

 mendous rate of speed. He at once threw himself 

 into the sharp thorn-bush on the side of the path, 

 braving the pain it inflicted rather than the onslaught 

 of the beasts. He managed to get perhaps three feet 

 from the path into the thick thorns, by the time the 

 leading elephant arrived at the place where he was 

 standing. There the elephant stopped, and began to 

 search for him with its trunk ; and finally, having sat- 

 isfied itself of his whereabouts, reached for him. He 

 had his sandals in his hand ; and being unable to 

 move on account of the thorns, as the trunk of the 

 elephant neared him, he instinctively held out the 

 sandals, which were promptly seized. The sandals 

 seemed to satisfy the curiosity of the beast ; for hav- 

 ing taken them with its trunk, it dashed them to the 

 ground, and trampled upon them. Then with a 

 loud trumpeting of rage it passed down the path, 

 followed by its fellows, leaving Hassan (the inter- 

 preter) greatly terrified, and offering thanks to Allah 

 for his escape. 



When the natives found I had killed a large ele- 

 phant, their joy knew no bounds. They one and all 

 dashed at it, and plunged their spears into its life-, 

 less carcass. They sang and danced upon it, and in 

 every possible manner testified their joy. After these 

 mirthful capers, the Leguinan of the Wanderobbo 

 said to me that one elephant was not sufiicient for 



