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arming themselves with spears and swords fell back to rest； leaving
Har？t and his company to take their place。 For half an hour or more
raged that awful struggle； since the spot being so narrow； charge as
they would； the Black Kendah could not win through the spears of
despairing warriors defending their lives and the sanctuary of their
god。 Nor； the encircling cliffs being so sheer； could they get round
any other way。
At length the enemy drew back as though defeated； giving us time to
drag aside our dead and wounded and drink more water； for the heat in
the place was now overwhelming。 We hoped against hope that they had
given up the attack。 But this was far from the case； they were but
making a new plan。
Suddenly in the gateway there appeared the huge bulk of the elephant
Jana； rushing forward at speed and being urged on by men who pricked
it with spears behind。 It swept through the defenders as though they
were but dry grass； battering those in front of it with its great
trunk from which swung the iron balls that crushed all on whom they
fell； and paying no more heed to the lance thrusts than it might have
done to the bites of gnats。 On it came； trumpeting and trampling； and
after it in a flood flowed the Black Kendah； upon whom our spearmen
flung themselves from either side。
At the time I； followed by Hans； was just returning from speaking with
Ragnall at the gate of the second court。 A little before I had retired
exhausted from the fierce and fearful fighting； whereon he took my
place and repelled several of the Black Kendah charges； including the
last。 In this fray he received a further injury； a knock on the head
from a stick or stone which stunned him for a few minutes； whereon
some of our people had carried him off and set him on the ground with
his back against one of the pillars of the second gate。 Being told
that he was hurt I ran to see what was the matter。 Finding to my joy
that it was nothing very serious； I was hurrying to the front again
when I looked up and saw that devil Jana charging straight towards me；
the throng of armed men parting on each side of him； as rough water
does before the leaping prow of a storm…driven ship。
To tell the truth； although I was never fond of unnecessary risks； I
rejoiced at the sight。 Not even all the excitement of that hideous and
prolonged battle had obliterated from my mind the burning sense of
shame at the exhibition which I had made of myself by missing this
beast with four barrels at forty yards。
Now； thought I to myself with a kind of exultant thrill； now； Jana； I
will wipe out both my disgrace and you。 This time there shall be no
mistake； or if there is； let it be my last。
On thundered Jana； whirling the iron balls among the soldiers； who
fled to right and left leaving a clear path between me and him。 To
make quite sure of things； for I was trembling a little with fatigue
and somewhat sick from the continuous sight of bloodshed； I knelt down
upon my right knee； using the other as a prop for my left elbow； and
since I could not make certain of a head shot because of the continual
whirling of the huge trunk； got the sight of my big…game rifle dead on
to the beast where the throat joins the chest。 I hoped that the heavy
conical bullet would either pierce through to the spine or cut one of
the large arteries in the neck； or at least that the tremendous shock
of its impact would bring him down。
At about twenty paces I fired and hitnot Jana but the lame priest
who was fulfilling the office of mahout； perched upon his shoulders
many feet above the point at which I had aimed。 Yes！ I hit him in the
head； which was shattered like an eggshell； so that he fell lifeless
to the ground。
In perfect desperation again I aimed； and fired when Jana was not more
than thirty feet away。 This time the bullet must have gone wide to the
left； for I saw a chip fly from the end of the animal's broken and
deformed tusk； which stuck out in that direction several feet clear of
its side。
Then I gave up all hope。 There was no time to gain my feet and escape；
indeed I did not wish to do so； who felt that there are some failures
which can only be absolved by death。 I just knelt there； waiting for
the end。
In an instant the giant creature was almost over me。 I remember
looking up at it and thinking in a queer sort of a wayperhaps it was
some ancestral memorythat I was a little ape…like child about to be
slain by a primordial elephant； thrice as big as any that now inhabit
the earth。 Then something appeared to happen which I only repeat to
show how at such moments absurd and impossible things seem real to us。
The reader may remember the strange dream which Hans had related to me
that morning。
One incident of this phantasy was that he had met the spirit of the
Zulu lady Mameena； whom I knew in bygone years； and that she bade him
tell me she would be with me in the battle and that I was to look for
her when death drew near to me and 〃Jana thundered on；〃 for then
perchance I should see her。
Well； no doubt in some lightning flash of thought the memory of these
words occurred to me at this juncture； with the ridiculous result that
my subjective intelligence； if that is the right term； actually
created the scene which they described。 As clearly； or perhaps more
clearly than ever I saw anything else in my life； I appeared to behold
the beautiful Mameena in her fur cloak and her blue beads； standing
between Jana and myself with her arms folded upon her breast and
looking exactly as she did in the tremendous moment of her death
before King Panda。 I even noted how the faint breeze stirred a loose
end of her outspread hair and how the sunlight caught a particular
point of a copper bangle on her upper arm。
So she stood； or rather seemed to stand； quite still； and as it
happened； at that moment the giant Jana； either because something had
frightened him； or perhaps owing to the shock of my bullet striking on
his tusk having jarred the brain； suddenly pulled up； sliding along a
little with all his four feet together； till I thought he was going to
sit down like a performing elephant。 Then it appeared to me as though
Mameena turned round very slowly； bent towards me； whispering
something which I could not hear although her lips moved； looked at me
sweetly with those wonderful eyes of hers and vanished away。
A fraction of a second later all this vision had gone and something
that was no vision took its place。 Jana had recovered himself and was
at me again with open mouth and lifted trunk。 I heard a Dutch curse
and saw a little yellow form； saw Hans； for it was he； thrust the
barrels of my second elephant rifle almost into that red cave of a
mouth； which however they could not reach； and fire； first one barrel；
then the other。
Another moment； and the mighty trunk had wrapped itself about Hans and
hurled him through the air to fall on to his head and arms thirty or
forty feet away。
Jana staggered as though he too were about to fall； recovered himself；
swerved to the right； perhaps to follow Hans； stumbled on a few paces；
missing me altogether； then again came to a standstill。 I wriggled
myself round and； seated on the pavement of the court； watched what
followed； and glad am I that I was able to do so； for never shall I
behold such another scene。
First I saw Ragnall run up with a rifle and fire two barrels at the
brute's head； of which he took no notice whatsoever。 Then I saw his
wife； who in this land was known as the Guardian of the Child； issuing
from the portals of the second court； dressed in her goddess robes；
wearing the cap of bird's feathers； attended by the two priestesses
also dressed as goddesses； as we had seen her on the morning of
sacrifice； and holding in front of her the statue of the Ivory Child。
On she came quite quietly； her wide； empty eyes fixed upon Jana。 As
she advanced the monster seemed to grow uneasy。 Turning his head； he
lifted his trunk and thrust it along his back until it gripped the
ankle of the King Simba； who all this while was seated there in his
chair making no movement。
With a slow； steady pull he dragged Simba from the chair so that he
fell upon the ground near his left foreleg。 Next very composedly he
wound his trunk about the body of the helpless man； whose horrified
eyes I can see to this day； and began to whirl him round and round in
the air； gently at first but with a motion that grew ever more rapid；
until the bright chains on the victim's breast flashed in the sunlight
like a silver wheel。 Then he hurled him to the ground； where the poor
king lay a mere shattered pulp that had been human。
Now the priestess was standing in front of the beast…god； apparently
quite without fear； though her two attendants had fallen back。 Ragnall
sprang forward as though to drag her away； but a dozen men leapt on to
him