only acknowledgment the huge beast made of
having received the shot, was another loud cry of impotent rage.

The company around the pit was then joined by a party not hitherto on
the ground. It consisted of Hans with Swartboy and the other followers
of the expedition. They had extracted the tusks of their elephant,
lashed them with rheims to the pack-saddles of two horses, and brought
them along.

"What is all this about?" asked Hans. "Can't you kill that elephant?
I've heard several shots."

"They will not allow us to try," replied Groot Willem. "A chief is
trying to kill it with an old musket, and will neither allow me to fire,
nor that well-armed gentleman standing near him." Willem pointed to him
who carried the gun without a lock.

At this moment, a communication was made to the Kaffir by the native
chief. Annoyed at his want of success, he had some doubts as to his
weapon being what had been represented by the smouse from whom he had
purchased it. He wished to make a comparison of its destructive power
with one of their guns, and Groot Willem was invited to take a shot at
the elephant.

"But, baas Willem," said Congo, as he finished this communication, "you
not do that, you not shoot the elephant."

"Why?" asked Willem, in surprise.

"You kill um with you roer, and then they want from you. They want it,
and sure take it."

"Take what--the elephant?"

"No, baas Willem, the roer," answered the Kaffir.

Though not afraid of having his gun taken from him, Groot Willem and his
companions were unwilling to have any difficulty with the blacks; and
the invitation of the chief was courteously declined. The excuse made
was that, after the failure of the great man himself, any similar
attempts on their part would certainly be unsuccessful.

A general invitation was now given to the company to join in despatching
the elephant; and it was immediately assailed by more than a dozen men
armed with assegais and javelins. They succeeded in killing it in a
little less than half an hour; and, during that time, the torture to
which the poor beast was subjected aroused the indignation of our
adventurers, who, if allowed, could have released it from its agonies in
half a score of seconds. They were true hunters, and, although not
sparing of animal life, they took no delight in its tortures.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

ON THE KARROO.

After killing the elephant, the natives commenced the less difficult
task o