442 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
a rapid retreat towards the gloomy shades of the great 
palms. 
££ Confound those cartridges ! ” 
££ Look out ! ” shouted Fred at the top notes of his 
voice, ££ clere is elephants coming.” 
I had nothing hut C.L.K., and sure enough a number 
of cows were seen advancing with thundering strides, 
until I thought they were on the top of us. 
££ Look out! look out! ” was the warning which again 
and again came from Fred’s lusty lungs. 
A rapid glance towards the right gave the alarming 
view of a grey mass of heads breaking through the high 
grass, and bearing down upon us like a cohort in mad 
alarm. Expecting to turn their course, I yelled as 
loudly as possible, and when they came within a few 
yards was relieved to see them swerve to one side and 
sweep past. 
Not caring to lose another chance, I tried C.L.K. 
again. Knowing the lightness of my bullets I aimed 
for the ear shot, and let fly right and left, bringing 
down, wonderful to say, a fine cow stone dead with the 
first shot, and the bullets half-hollowed! 
Sport on many occasions was utterly spoiled by the 
sticking of the empty cases ; but the disappointment in 
this case was excessively annoying, for the lost bull was 
the finest African elephant I had seen. The tusks 
appeared to be very long. 
££ Master can’t get to Chiromo on the Kuo river 
to-night. It is very far,” quoth Fred. 
“ We must, Fred ; for I promised M. Giraucl I would 
be there to-night.” 
The hottest hour of the day was upon us, and we 
were at least two miles from the canoe. I had no fear 
of the Manganja people, who had shown much apprecia¬ 
tion of my efforts on their behalf during the previous 
night. A little cloth to each would urge them to do 
wonders. But not a moment was to be lost. Hurrying 
on under indescribable heat we reached the river, with 
our bodies bathed in perspiration. 
All plans were matured by this time. The Manganja 
