第7章

The bullet struck the shoulder-blade and smashed it up,and then travelled on under the skin into his flank;but it did not stop him,though for a second he staggered.

"Throwing myself on to the ground with the energy of despair,I rolled under the shelter of the projecting root of the thorn,crushing myself as far into the mouth of the ant-bear hole as I could.In a single instant the buffalo was after me.Kneeling down on his uninjured knee --for one leg,that of which I had broken the shoulder,was swinging helplessly to and fro--he set to work to try and hook me out of the hole with his crooked horn.At first he struck at me furiously,and it was one of the blows against the base of the tree which splintered the tip of the horn in the way that you see.Then he grew more cunning,and pushed his head as far under the root as possible,made long semicircular sweeps at me,grunting furiously,and blowing saliva and hot steamy breath all over me.I was just out of reach of the horn,though every stroke,by widening the hole and making more room for his head,brought it closer to me,but every now and again I received heavy blows in the ribs from his muzzle.Feeling that I was being knocked silly,I made an effort and seizing his rough tongue,which was hanging from his jaws,I twisted it with all my force.The great brute bellowed with pain and fury,and jerked himself backwards so strongly,that he dragged me some inches further from the mouth of the hole,and again made a sweep at me,catching me this time round the shoulder-joint in the hook of his horn.

"I felt that it was all up now,and began to holloa.

"'He has got me!'I shouted in mortal terror.'/Gwasa,Mashune,gwasa!/'('Stab,Mashune,stab!').

"One hoist of the great head,and out of the hole I came like a periwinkle out of his shell.But even as I did so,I caught sight of Mashune's stalwart form advancing with his 'bangwan,'or broad stabbing assegai,raised above his head.In another quarter of a second I had fallen from the horn,and heard the blow of the spear,followed by the indescribable sound of steel shearing its way through flesh.I had fallen on my back,and,looking up,I saw that the gallant Mashune had driven the assegai a foot or more into the carcass of the buffalo,and was turning to fly.

"Alas!it was too late.Bellowing madly,and spouting blood from mouth and nostrils,the devilish brute was on him,and had thrown him up like a feather,and then gored him twice as he lay.I struggled up with some wild idea of affording help,but before I had gone a step the buffalo gave one long sighing bellow,and rolled over dead by the side of his victim.

"Mashune was still living,but a single glance at him told me that his hour had come.The buffalo's horn had driven a great hole in his right lung,and inflicted other injuries.

"I knelt down beside him in the uttermost distress,and took his hand.

"'Is he dead,Macumazahn?'he whispered.'My eyes are blind;I cannot see.'

"'Yes,he is dead.'

"'Did the black devil hurt thee,Macumazahn?'

"'No,my poor fellow,I am not much hurt.'

"'Ow!I am glad.'

"Then came a long silence,broken only by the sound of the air whistling through the hole in his lung as he breathed.

"'Macumazahn,art thou there?I cannot feel thee.'

"'I am here,Mashune.'

"'I die,Macumazahn--the world flies round and round.I go--I go out into the dark!Surely,my father,at times in days to come--thou wilt think of Mashune who stood by thy side--when thou killest elephants,as we used--as we used----'

"They were his last words,his brave spirit passed with him.I dragged his body to the hole under the tree,and pushed it in,placing his broad assegai by him,according to the custom of his people,that he might not go defenceless on his long journey;and then,ladies--I am not ashamed to confess--I stood alone there before it,and wept like a woman."