y and trample over us, or perhaps the
rhinoceroses would attack our poor ox, who was but ill able to defend
himself.

While I was looking out beyond our camp-fire I caught sight of a herd of
elephants, the huge males going first, followed by the females, on their
way down to a large pool where they were going to drink. I followed
them cautiously until they entered the water.

Having satisfied their thirst, they began throwing it over themselves
and disporting in the cool element, gambolling and rolling about like a
party of schoolboys bathing. As I could not have carried away their
tusks, I did not attempt to shoot one but left them unmolested. After a
while I saw them returning by the way they had come, appearing in the
uncertain light like huge phantoms so noiselessly did they stalk over
the ground.

It is strange that, huge as the elephant is, from the soft padding of
its feet, the sound of its steps is not heard even on hard ground. Its
approach is only to be discovered by the snapping of boughs and twigs as
it makes its way among the brushwood.

We were but a short distance from the spot where we had left the
elephant's tusks, one of the objects of our expedition. I felt very
sure of the place, as the adventure we had there met with had marked it
in my memory.

I was going up to the tree followed by Jan, when I saw an object moving
among the branches. This made me approach cautiously, and fortunately I
did so, for on looking up, I caught sight of an enormous leopard, which
probably had been attracted by the smell of the flesh still adhering to
the roots of the tusks. As the creature had got possession of the tree,
I had first to dislodge him before I could obtain our tusks; that they
were still there I discovered by seeing their points sticking out beyond
the forks of the boughs where we had deposited them. I knew the
leopard's habit of leaping down on passing animals, and thought it might
attempt to catch me in the same manner. I therefore stood at a
distance, but though I shouted at the top of my voice, and threw pieces
of wood at it, it held its post, snarling and growling savagely.

"Better shoot him, or he come down when no tinkee," cried Jan, who had
remained with the ox at a safe distance.

As we were in a hurry to move on, I saw that the sooner I did this the
better, but it was important to shoot it dead, for should I miss or only
wound it, it might make its leap before I had reloaded, and