showered down
on them from above, and from every side. The more daring hunters would
occasionally rush in close behind them, and dart their spears deep into
their flesh. While they were thus engaged, a third elephant, followed
by another party of hunters, who had already wounded him, came tearing
along. He, too, was caught in the meshes of the network. Several darts
were hurled into him, but suddenly turning round, he broke away from
them, and trumpeting fiercely, rushed towards a score of natives, who
were still at a little distance. They endeavoured to fly on every side,
but so unexpected was the attack of the beast, that all had not time to
do so. Two unfortunate men were caught; in an instant they were beneath
the elephant's feet, who stamped upon them with all his mighty force.
In another moment they were crushed, their skulls and all the bones in
their bodies being broken, then seizing one in his trunk, the monster
hurled it into the air, and rushed forward in an endeavour to make his
escape. The whole party, on seeing this, excited by rage, pursued the
animal, shouting and shrieking, grinding their teeth, and darting their
spears and javelins with all their might. I saw that the elephant had
not a chance of escape, indeed, in a short time, mighty as was his
strength, he sank down exhausted, with the blood flowing from a hundred
wounds, and after a few struggles was dead. On this the natives rushed
forward, and began cutting away at the creature with their knives,
uttering curses on it for having killed their friends. The noise they
had made had scared away all the other elephants--however, they appeared
pretty well satisfied with the four they had killed. They now assembled
round the last elephant which had fallen, while one of their fetish-men,
or priests, approached and cut off a portion which was carefully stowed
away in a basket; this was intended, we understood, for an offering to
their idols. A dance was now commenced, and was as savage as could well
be imagined. They shrieked, they leaped, they whirled their lances
above their heads, and twisted and turned their bodies about in the most
fantastic manner, making at the same time the most hideous faces, until,
exhausted with their exertions, they all squatted down on the ground.
Once more at a sign they rose, when they repeated the same dance round
the fetish basket. We were in hopes that the king would return home the
next day, but the hunters b