Копи царя Соломона
An Elephant Hunt
Shortlyafterwere-passedthespotwhereGoodhadwoundedthepatriarchalbullwecameacrossaherdofeland,butdidnotshootatthem,aswehadplentyofmeat. Theytrottedpastus,andthenstoppedbehindalittlepatchofbushaboutahundredyardsaway,wheelingroundtolookatus. AsGoodwasanxioustogetanearviewofthem,neverhavingseenanelandclose, hehandedhisrifletoUmbopa,and,followedbyKhiva,strolleduptothepatchofbush. Wesatdownandwaitedforhim,notsorryoftheexcuseforalittlerest.
Thesunwasjustgoingdowninitsreddestglory,andSirHenryandIwereadmiringthelovelyscene,whensuddenlyweheardanelephantscream,andsawitshugeandrushingformwithupliftedtrunkandtailsilhouettedagainstthegreatfieryglobeofthesun. Nextsecondwesawsomethingelse,andthatwasGoodandKhivatearingbacktowardsuswiththewoundedbull—foritwashe—chargingafterthem. Foramomentwedidnotdaretofire—thoughatthatdistanceitwouldhavebeenoflittleuseifwehaddoneso—forfearofhittingoneofthem, andthenextadreadfulthinghappened —Goodfellavictimtohispassionforciviliseddress. Hadheconsentedtodiscardhistrousersandgaitersliketherestofus,andtohuntinaflannelshirtandapairofveldt-schoons,itwouldhavebeenallright. Butasitwas,histrouserscumberedhiminthatdesperaterace,andpresently,whenhewasaboutsixtyyardsfromus,hisboot,polishedbythedrygrass,slipped,anddownhewentonhisfacerightinfrontoftheelephant
