.

The noise made by the hunters attracted the attention of the nearest
elephant, and, with true motherly instinct she placed her young one
between her fore-legs for protection.

"We fire right in de middel ob de lot?" inquired Zombo hastily.

"Not at all," whispered Disco; "let every man point at the nearest one--
the one that lays broadside on to us, wi' the little un under her bows.
Now--ready--present--fire!"

Bang went the seven guns with a degree of precision that might have put
to shame any corps of volunteer riflemen in England; up went the trunks
and tails of the elephants, little and big, and away rushed the whole
herd in dire alarm. But the wounded animal suddenly stumbled and fell
on its knees, then leaped up and ran on heavily.

Meanwhile Disco, who had discharged only one barrel of his heavy gun,
leaped over the bushes, and rushed forward at a pace which for a few
seconds enabled him to keep ahead even of the fleet natives. The
elephants, however, easily left them all behind, and it appeared as if
the affair were about to end in disappointment, when the wounded beast
again stumbled.

"Hold on! halt!" cried Disco in a voice of thunder.

He kneeled at the same time, took aim, and fired.

Whether it was this last shot or the effects of previous loss of blood,
we cannot tell; but after receiving it, the ponderous animal rolled over
on its side, and died.

To say that the natives became temporarily insane would give but a
feeble idea of what now took place, because few readers are likely to be
aware of the amazing power of the negro to give expression to the
vagaries of insanity. We shall therefore content ourselves by saying
that they cheered, laughed, howled, shouted, danced, and yelled--and
leave the rest to imagination.

"Now, then, boys, avast howlin'. Clap a stopper on your bellows, will
'ee?" said Disco, in a boatswain's roar, that effectually quelled the
tumult. "Cut off to camp, every mother's son of you, an bring up
Kambira an' all the boys, with as many knives and dishes as ye can
muster, for this mountain of flesh ain't to be cut up in a hurry, an'
the sun won't be long o' goin' to bed. Away with 'ee! Let's see how
you can wag yer black legs, an' I'll keep watch over the carcase. If
anything comes to have a look at it--a lion, for instance,--so much the
worse for the lion!"

It was in vain that Jumbo explained there was no necessity for sending
more than one of the party to the