Adventure Magazine Cover — page 115: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ivory Wive FOR two weeks the Majer lived at tye the village ef Ugubu. Every day 7 he explored the country round, some- times with Jim as his only companion, but more often in y with the young warriors of the kraal. Game was plentiful and never’ before had the people of the kraal been so supplied with fresh meat. Because of his hunting-prowess and his knowledge ef medicine ability to pull teeth the Major became a power in the kraal and was regarded by all as a miracle-worker. The evenings he t gossipmg with the head man and the eld men, or watching the dances of the young men and maidens. It was not until ke had beea with them two weeks and had fully won the confidence of the old head man that he spoke about the elephant-tusks that were built into the stockade that encircled the hut of Ugubu. “Whence came the tusks, my father?” he asked. “They were brought here by my father’s father.” “He was a great hunter then—as thou art?” “Nay, he was no hunter. Moreover the tusks were yellow with age, even as thou seest them now, when he brought them to this place.” “And knowest thou not whence they came?” : “Tt was whispered among the people, white man, that, having sold his snake to the spirits of evil, he was shown the place to which all bull elephants go when their time has come to die. Of the truth of that I know not. “In the night-time, so said my father, my father’s father was wont to leave the kraal, not returning until sunup of the next day. And when he returned he brought with him a tusk. He would not say where he had been, and because he was a head man none durst question him. “One day he did not return, and warriors went out to look for him. But it had rained heavily in the night-time and they could not find his spoor. Without doubt he was carried off by the evil spirits.” “ NEXT day word was brought that a large herd of elephants was moving toward Ugubu’s kraal, and the Major with Jim, accompanied by several of Ugubu’s picked hunters, went down to the corn- : 105 patches. The ‘native hunters were armed with heavy muzzle-loading guns, and among them was Umwese, Ugubu’s only son. It had been the custom for ages past for the hunters to await the elephants close by — the corn-patches, but the Major demurred. “Tf we wait here,” he said, “we accom- plish no goed purpose, fer even should we . stampede the elephants some would run amuck threugh the corn, causing great damage. Let us therefore go farther along the way by which they must come.” The Major knew that could they succeed in killing the “bull,” the leader of the herd, the rest would undoubtedly be frightened away from that vieinity. Being a true sports- man, he detested the wanton slaughter of the majestic creatures that so often was excused by the bald statement, “They were destroying the crops.” “Thy words are words of wisdom,” as- sented the hunters. “Then ye will do as I command?” «th so.” “Tt is my order then that ye shoot not the cows nor the young bulls. At the old bulls only shall ye fire, and the big bull, the leader of the herd, ye shall leave to me.” The party went forward, calling softly to each other at intervals that they would not lese track of one another in the dense jungle growth. : After about an hour’s trekking Umwese, who was to the right and a little ahead of _ the Major, gave a grunt of astonishment. He had nearly walked into a -young bull which was standing under a big tree, and as the wind was blowing from him showed no knowledge of the presence of a human In his eagerness to get the first kill Umwese forgot all about the white man’s instructions and neglected to’ give the word of warning. Resting his gun on a convenient branch, he took steady aim and fired. There was a terrific explosion. Some- how his barrel had become choked up with sand. The gun flew out of his hands, and he was knocked flat on his back. Quickly recovering, he sprang to his feet and saw the elephant, trumpeting with rage, charging at him. Umwese turned and ran swiftly — back and toward the Major. And now it seemed that the forest was alive with elephants charging madly this way and that. The jungle creatures of the : (@ S AMC JOO Coir