n't interfered, I should have shot him at once; but the brute's
lair must have been close to where I stood, and I ran a fearful chance
of being seized by him."

We did not see what had become of the other elephants, and we concluded
that either Mr Welbourn had disposed of them, or that they had run into
the forest to conceal themselves. However, we soon saw that the attempt
to overtake the elephant on foot was useless. We therefore made a short
cut back to where we had left our horses. Each of us mounting one,
guided by the spoor, we immediately made chase. It was far more
satisfactory to be on horseback than on foot. Following the spoor, we
quickly again came in sight of the elephant, which was moving slowly on.
Seeing us, he lifted up his trunk and, trumpeting loudly, seemed about
to charge.

My uncle, notwithstanding, rode forward and fired. The ball struck,
when immediately, turning the horse's head, he galloped off, taking the
way towards the camp. He had not gone far, however, before the elephant
stopped, and Harry and I coming up, both fired, when down it came to the
ground, and was dead before my uncle reached it.

"A good day's sport, my lads," he exclaimed in high glee. "We shall
soon have the waggons loaded if we go on in this way. Fred, you go to
the camp to bring up the oxen to load with the tusks and meat, while
Harry and I will look after the other elephants and the lion."

I had taken a good survey of the country, so that I believed I could
find my way, and without hesitation set off. I had gone but a short
distance when a troop of giraffes hove in sight, and beautiful objects
they were, with their heads elevated on their long necks. Influenced by
the propensity of a hunter I dashed forward in pursuit. Suddenly, my
horse swerved on one side, and I saw that he had narrowly escaped a
pitfall. Almost directly afterwards, two of the giraffes sank into
other pits, and on turning round I saw that the animals were pursued by
a party of natives, who had them thus completely in their power.

On examining the pit into which I had so nearly tumbled, I perceived
that it was about twelve feet in depth, with a bank of earth about seven
feet high left in the centre, broad at the bottom, and narrowing towards
the top. The fore-legs of the giraffe had sunk into one side of the
hole, the hinder legs into another, the body resting on the narrow bank,
so that the creature in spite of all its struggles coul