But he had scarce time to give utterance to his fears; for the next moment the tree gave way with a crash, and fell to the ground, bringing the Bushman down among its branches.
It happened that the tree, dragged down by the elephant's trunk, fell towards the animal.

Swartboy even touched the elephant's body in his descent, and slipped down over his hind-quarters.

The branches had broken the fall, and the Bushman was still unhurt, but he felt that he was now quite at the mercy of his antagonist.

He saw no chance of escape by flight.

He was lost! Just at that moment an idea entered his mind--a sort of despairing instinct--and springing at one of the hind-legs of the quadruped, he slung his arms around it, and held fast! He at the same time planted his naked feet upon the sabots of those of the animal: so that, by means of this support, he was enabled to keep his hold, let the animal move as it would! The huge mammoth, unable to shake him off, unable to get at him with his trunk--and, above all, surprised and terrified by this novel mode of attack--uttered a shrill scream, and with tail erect and trunk high in air, dashed off into the jungle! Swartboy held on to the leg until fairly within the bushes; and then, watching his opportunity, he slipped gently off.