as it passed. For a moment we stood aghast, and presently the dull thud
of his fall smote heavily upon our ears. Poor fellow, he had met the
Fate which, as he declared, walked about loose in Wambe's country. Then
with an oath the remaining man sprung at the rock and clambered over it
in safety. Aghast at the awfulness of what had happened, I stood still,
till I saw the great blade of a Matuku spear pass up between my feet.
That brought me to my senses, and I began to clamber up the rock like
a cat. I was half way round it. Already I had clasped the hand of that
brave girl Maiwa, who came down to help me, the men having scrambled
forward with the ivory, when I felt some one seize my ankle.

"'Pull, Maiwa, pull,' I gasped, and she certainly did pull. Maiwa was a
very muscular woman, and never before did I appreciate the advantages
of the physical development of females so keenly. She tugged at my left
arm, the savage below tugged at my right leg, till I began to realize
that something must give way ere long. Luckily I retained my presence
of mind, like the man who threw his mother-in-law out of the window, and
carried the mattress down-stairs, when a fire broke out in his house.
My right hand was still free, and in it I held my revolver, which was
secured to my wrist by a leather thong. The pistol was cocked, and I
simply pointed it downwards and fired. The result was instantaneous--and
so far as I am concerned, most satisfactory. The bullet hit the man
beneath me somewhere, I am sure I don't know where; at any rate, he let
go of my leg and plunged headlong into the gulf beneath to join Gobo. In
another moment I was on the top of the rock, and going up the remaining
steps like a lamplighter. A single other soldier appeared in pursuit,
but one of my boys at the top fired my elephant gun at him. I don't know
if he hit him or only frightened him; at any rate, he vanished whence he
came. I do know, however, that he very nearly hit _me_, for I felt the
wind of the bullet.