mouth of the hole, and again
made a sweep at me, catching me this time round the shoulder-joint in
the hook of his horn.

"I felt that it was all up now, and began to holloa.

"'He has got me!' I shouted in mortal terror. '_Gwasa, Mashune, gwasa!_'
('Stab, Mashune, stab!').

"One hoist of the great head, and out of the hole I came like a
periwinkle out of his shell. But even as I did so, I caught sight of
Mashune's stalwart form advancing with his 'bangwan,' or broad stabbing
assegai, raised above his head. In another quarter of a second I had
fallen from the horn, and heard the blow of the spear, followed by
the indescribable sound of steel shearing its way through flesh. I had
fallen on my back, and, looking up, I saw that the gallant Mashune had
driven the assegai a foot or more into the carcass of the buffalo, and
was turning to fly.

"Alas! it was too late. Bellowing madly, and spouting blood from mouth
and nostrils, the devilish brute was on him, and had thrown him up like
a feather, and then gored him twice as he lay. I struggled up with some
wild idea of affording help, but before I had gone a step the buffalo
gave one long sighing bellow, and rolled over dead by the side of his
victim.

"Mashune was still living, but a single glance at him told me that his
hour had come. The buffalo's horn had driven a great hole in his right
lung, and inflicted other injuries.

"I knelt down beside him in the uttermost distress, and took his hand.

"'Is he dead, Macumazahn?' he whispered. 'My eyes are blind; I cannot
see.'

"'Yes, he is dead.'

"'Did the black devil hurt thee, Macumazahn?'

"'No, my poor fellow, I am not much hurt.'

"'Ow! I am glad.'

"Then came a long silence, broken only by the sound of the air whistling
through the hole in his lung as he breathed.

"'Macumazahn, art thou there? I cannot feel thee.'

"'I am here, Mashune.'

"'I die, Macumazahn--the world flies round and round. I go--I go out
into the dark! Surely, my father, at times in days to come--thou wilt
think of Mashune who stood by thy side--when thou killest elephants, as
we used--as we used----'

"They were his last words, his brave spirit passed with him. I dragged
his body to the hole under the tree, and pushed it in, placing his broad
assegai by him, according to the custom of his people, that he might not
go defenceless on his long journey; and then, ladies--I am not ashamed
to confess--I stood alone there before it, and