Rearing his huge bulk into the air he brought down his forefeet with all the tremendous weight of his great body behind them on to the sloping trunk of the tree just below where the branches sprang, perhaps twelve or thirteen feet above the ground.
The shock was so heavy that for a moment I thought the tree would be uprooted or snapped in two.

Thank Heaven! it held, but the vibration was such that Hans and I were nearly shaken out of the upper branches, like autumn apples from a bough.

Indeed, I think I should have gone had not the monkey-like Hans, who had toes to cling with as well as fingers, gripped me by the collar.
Thrice did Jana repeat this manoeuvre, and at the third onslaught I saw to my horror that the roots were loosening.

I heard some of them snap, and a crack appeared in the ground not far from the bole.

Fortunately Jana never noted these symptoms, for abandoning a plan which he considered unavailing, he stood for a while swaying his trunk and lost in gentle thought.
"Hans," I whispered, "load the rifle quick! I can get him in the spine or the other eye." "Wet powder won't go off, Baas," groaned Hans.