With Flashlight and Rifle ♦> 



I nolice now two sinall owls of a rare species 

 i^I^isorJiina capensis) not yet included in my ornithological 

 collection, and 1 am tempted to bring them down with 

 mv llintlock, which 1 have always handy. By this 

 time I hax^e myself given up all hope of getting at the 

 elephants — we have a long streak ot the rising ccjuntry 

 ahead ot us in view. This calls down on me the re|)roach 

 of my trusty old Almasi, who regards the owl as a bird 

 of evil omen, the killing ot which will bring us mistt)rtune. 

 And the prophecy — though I laughed at it at the; time — 

 came very near tulhlmc^nl. 



In the course ot the next halt-hour m\' chief guide 

 and I ijecame aware of a strong scent (A elephants, 

 and almost immediately afterwards we espied, about a 

 mile and a quarter ahead ot us, on a hill, clearly de- 

 tined in the bright tropical light, two dark groups ot 

 elephants cjuietly at rest. It was again a case tor quick 

 action. 



Most of my men would ha\e to remain behind 

 while- the three most trusty of theni and two Masai and 

 myself went on near the elephants. Much to m\- anxiety, 

 the very slight ])reeze until then ])]()\\ing behind us 

 became stronger, and I had almost given up hope as I 

 lay concealed in the grass, when, suddenly changing 

 round, it began to come towards us Irom the elephants. 



The i^lains were here very bare, witii little on them 

 except withered acacias. I succeeded, however, in getting 

 to within two hundred paces of the; elephants, and in taking- 

 several ])hotogra|)hs of them at this distance. I had to 

 exercise rill my will-power to hold the camera steady, but 



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