out an hour we perceived the leader and his brother issuing from
the cane-brake, supporting between them one of the stragglers, who
appeared quite unable to walk by himself, and as they came near, we
could see that he was bleeding from several wounds in his body, and
that he had lost the use of one of his hind-legs.

But what a dreadful account he gave us! He said that he and his
brother, whose name was Brisk, were feeding in an open space close to
the river, when they heard my mother's alarm-call, which Brisk said was
nothing more than her usual voice when she was scolding her children.
So he refused to retreat, and persuaded his brother to remain with him,
when suddenly they found themselves surrounded by ten or twelve hunters
mounted on horse-back, and armed with long spears. They made the best
resistance they could, and killed one of the hunters; but at length our
wounded friend, finding himself weak from his wounds, rolled down the
steep bank into the river, where he was concealed by the overhanging
trees, and as the cold water refreshed and strengthened him, he swam
gently down the stream, keeping close under the bank till he came to a
good landing-place. Here, he with difficulty managed to scramble on
shore, and was proceeding slowly and in great pain through the canes,
when he was found by the leader and his brother, without whose
assistance he said he should never have reached the herd, for he was
bleeding fast, and a deep spear-wound in the upper joint of his
hind-leg was becoming more and more painful at every step.

After his wounds had been examined, and the bleeding had been stopped
by the application of the proper herbs, our poor friend was questioned
as to the fate of his brother, when he immediately swooned from excess
of agitation. Recovering a little, in a low voice and in broken words
he endeavoured to communicate the sad tidings.

"Brother," said he, "brother Brisk--brother Brisk barbarously"--then
suddenly, to our amazement, jumping up on his three legs, he bellowed
forth with tremendous energy, "Brother Brisk barbarously butchered!"
Whereupon the whole herd, old and young, with quivering trunks high
raised in air, continued for some minutes to thunder forth in their
loudest tones, "Brother Brisk barbarously butchered! Brother Brisk
barbarously butchered!"

Did that wild cry of despair reach the ears of the hunters? If so, I
envy them not their feelings.

We continued in a close body all night