those in front of it with its great trunk
from which swung the iron balls that crushed all on whom they fell, and
paying no more heed to the lance thrusts than it might have done to the
bites of gnats. On it came, trumpeting and trampling, and after it in a
flood flowed the Black Kendah, upon whom our spearmen flung themselves
from either side.

At the time I, followed by Hans, was just returning from speaking with
Ragnall at the gate of the second court. A little before I had retired
exhausted from the fierce and fearful fighting, whereon he took my place
and repelled several of the Black Kendah charges, including the last. In
this fray he received a further injury, a knock on the head from a stick
or stone which stunned him for a few minutes, whereon some of our people
had carried him off and set him on the ground with his back against one
of the pillars of the second gate. Being told that he was hurt I ran
to see what was the matter. Finding to my joy that it was nothing very
serious, I was hurrying to the front again when I looked up and saw that
devil Jana charging straight towards me, the throng of armed men parting
on each side of him, as rough water does before the leaping prow of a
storm-driven ship.

To tell the truth, although I was never fond of unnecessary risks, I
rejoiced at the sight. Not even all the excitement of that hideous and
prolonged battle had obliterated from my mind the burning sense of shame
at the exhibition which I had made of myself by missing this beast with
four barrels at forty yards.

Now, thought I to myself with a kind of exultant thrill, now, Jana,
I will wipe out both my disgrace and you. This time there shall be no
mistake, or if there is, let it be my last.

On thundered Jana, whirling the iron balls among the soldiers, who fled
to right and left leaving a clear path between me and him. To make quite
sure of things, for I was trembling a little with fatigue and somewhat
sick from the continuous sight of bloodshed, I knelt down upon my right
knee, using the other as a prop for my left elbow, and since I could
not make certain of a head shot because of the continual whirling of
the huge trunk, got the sight of my big-game rifle dead on to the beast
where the throat joins the chest. I hoped that the heavy conical
bullet would either pierce through to the spine or cut one of the large
arteries in the neck, or at least that the tremendous shock of its
impact would bring him down.