He had died like a hero, and though I
grieved over him, I could not have wished him a more glorious death.
I was obliged to open him to discover the real injury. I had little
thought that the knife which had so often come to his assistance was
destined to so sad a task. His lungs were pierced through by the deer's
horns in two places, and he had died of sudden suffocation by internal
haemorrhage. A large hollow tree grew close to the spot; in this I
buried him. The stag's antlers now hang in the hall, a melancholy but
glorious memento of poor Killbuck.
In a few days my leg had so much improved that I could again use it
without much inconvenience; I therefore determined to pay the cave a
visit, as I felt convinced that elephants would be more numerous in that
neighbourhood. We started in the cool of the afternoon, as the distance
was not more than eight miles from our encampment. We had proceeded
about half-way, and our horses were picking their way with difficulty
over some rocky hills, when we came upon fresh tracks of a herd of
elephants. It was too late to go after them that evening; we therefore
pitched the tent upon the spot, resolving to track them up at daybreak
on the following morning.
We were accordingly out before sunrise, and came upon the tracks within
a mile of the tent. We at length discovered the herd upon the summit of
a steep rocky hill.
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