Part 33 (2/2)

”No, it is the back of an elephant, I should rather think; but the reeds are so high, that it is difficult to ascertain Thereof these wheels would drive away any thing,” replied the Major; ”ill then ride forward and see what it is It is not more than half a et the rifles, and tell Breular hunt, or only a passing shot at thelass that they are elephants?”

”Well, I think a passing shot will be best; for if we are to hunt, we must send a party on the opposite side of the river, and that will be a tedious affair”

”I think myself it will be better to proceed,” said Swinton; ”so now then, to scatter the enemy”

They soon arrived at that part of the river where they had at a distance discovered the elephants bathing; but as they approached, the high reeds prevented theh they could hear them plainly At last, as they proceeded a little further up the river, they discovered a fe with its offspring, pouring water over it with its trunk, and now and then pressing it into the water, so as to compel it to swim They watched the motions of the animals for so, ”I really have not the heart to fire at the poor creature; itsof the little one, are too interesting It would be cruel, now that we do not want meat, for an eland is to be killed every ten lad to hear you say so,” replied Swinton ”Let us fire over thereed,” said the Major; ”this is to start them,” and he fired off his rifle in the air

The noise that ensued was quite appalling; the shrieks and cries of the elephants, and the treading down and rushi+ng through the reeds, the splashi+ng and floundering in theout of the whole herd on the opposite bank of the river, tossing their trunks, raising up their ears, roaring wildly, and starting through the bushes into the forest froethe whole herd, the rest were all fe ones, who scraether, but still occasionally looking behind after their young ones, till they had all disappeared in the forest, the cracking and crushi+ng of the bushes in which were heard for many minutes afterward

”That was a splendid scene,” said Alexander

”Yes, it was a living panorama, which one must come to Africa to behold”

”I do not think that I shall ever become a true elephant-hunter,” said the Major ”I feel a sort of repugnance to destroy so sagacious an aniree of remorse when one lies dead At the sa and noise attending their erous animals to pursue”

”Not if people are cool and collected We have had several fa the Dutch farmers I remember that one of them, after a return froo up to a wild elephant and pluck eight hairs out of his tail He did so and won his bet, for the elephant can not see behind hi round However, a short ti foolhardy from success, the animal was too quick for him, and he was crushed to death”

Bremen now came up to them, to say that there was a party of people to the eastward, and he thought that there was a wagon On examination with their telescopes, they found that such was the case; and our travelers turned their horses' heads in the direction, to ascertain who theythe caravan to proceed by the banks of the river In about an hour, they canized them as Griquas, or mixed European and Hottentot races Of course, they met in the most friendly manner, and the Griquas said that they had come to hunt the elephant, eland, and other animals; the foron, which was a very old one, was loaded with flesh, cut in long strips, and hanging to dry; and they had a great ht of ivory, which they had already collected As soon as our travelers had explained to the their wagon down in the evening and encamp with them Our travelers then returned to the caravan

As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon They were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and aruns used by the Dutch boors They said that they had been twovery soon, as their wagon was loaded to the extent that it would bear The Major stating that it was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and they would have to cross over into the territories of the king Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do without his per so, even with it

”Do you know any thing of this person, Swinton?”

”Yes, I have heard of him, but I did not know that he had extended his conquests so lon as to the Val River”

”Who is he?”

”You have heard of Chaka, the king of the Zoolus, who conquered the whole country, as far as Port Natal to the eastward?”

”Yes,” replied Alexander; ”we have heard of him”

”Well, Moselekatsee was a chief of two or three tribes, hen hard pressed by his enee with Chaka, and became one of his principal warrior chiefs After a time he quarreled with Chaka, about the distribution of some cattle they had taken, and aware that he had no mercy to expect froe force, and withdrew to the Bechuana country There he conquered all the tribes, enrolled theradually becaements of his army, he followed the same plans as Chaka, and has now becoreat a tyrant and despot as Chaka hi there would be danger in passing through his dominions without his permission”

”But,” said Alexander, ”I suppose if we send a e to him and presents, there will be no difficulty?”

”Perhaps not, except that our caravan may excite his cupidity, and he may be induced to delay us to obtain possession of its contents

However, we had better put this question to the Griquas, who probably can answer it better”