Копи царя Соломона
An Elephant Hunt
Bythistimethemasshadfallen,andwasrollingoverandoverontheground, andwhenwereachedthespotitstrugglednolonger,butlayquitestill.
Nowwesawwhatitwas.Onthegrasstherelayasableantelopebull—themostbeautifulofalltheAfricanantelopes—quitedead,andtransfixedbyitsgreatcurvedhornswasamagnificentblack-manedlion,alsodead. Evidentlywhathadhappenedwasthis:Thesableantelopehadcomedowntodrinkatthepoolwherethelion—nodoubtthesamewhichwehadheard—waslyinginwait. Whiletheantelopedrank,thelionhadsprunguponhim,onlytobereceiveduponthesharpcurvedhornsandtransfixed. OncebeforeIsawasimilarthinghappen. Thenthelion,unabletofreehimself,hadtornandbittenatthebackandneckofthebull,which,maddenedwithfearandpain,hadrushedonuntilitdroppeddead.
AssoonaswehadexaminedthebeastssufficientlywecalledtheKafirs,andbetweenusmanagedtodragtheircarcasesuptothescherm. Afterthatwewentinandlaydown,towakenomoretilldawn.
Withthefirstlightwewereupandmakingreadyforthefray. Wetookwithusthethreeeight-borerifles,agoodsupplyofammunition,andourlargewater-bottles,filledwithweakcoldtea,whichIhavealwaysfoundthebeststufftoshooton. Afterswallowingalittlebreakfastwestarted,Umbopa,Khiva,andVentvögelaccompanyingus. TheotherKafirsweleftwithinstructionstoskinthelionandthesableantelope,andtocutupthelatter.
