230 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER ch. 
in my wake with my heavy double *577, while a 
few native carriers, with some light baggage, were 
bringing up the rear, at a distance of several 
hundred yards. Confident that the elephant, who 
had gained a good start, was a long way ahead of 
us, we were hurrying along the spoor with some¬ 
what less than our usual caution, when, all of a 
sudden, we heard, in the grass to our right, a loud 
crashing, accompanied by a series of short, angry 
grunts, which only too clearly indicated a charging 
buffalo. So taken by surprise were my men, that 
Malingum dashed away forward as hard as his legs 
could carry him and Hyiah promptly beat a hasty 
retreat, each carrying a rifle and leaving me to face 
the awkward situation unarmed. The buffalo 
emerged from the long grass only a few feet in front 
of me and, catching sight of Malingum making 
his record sprint, charged madly after him. The 
animal was fast overtaking my speedy tracker, 
when, to my horror, the latter caught his foot on 
some exposed root or other obstacle and went 
sprawling headlong to earth. Either being dazed 
by his fall or retaining his presence of mind, 
my tracker lay perfectly still, holding my rifle at 
arm’s length above his head, slightly to the right of 
him. On thundered the buffalo, and, catching with 
his horns the rifle that Malingum held aloft, he 
tossed the weapon some twenty yards away, 
