V GOOD ELEPHANT COUNTRY 75 



some distance off; and a couple of hyaenas, giving 

 vent at intervals to their weird, melancholy howls, 

 testified, I suppose, to their appreciation of the 

 remains of the sable antelope. At last, lulled by 

 these voices of the wilderness, and tired by a long 

 day's march, I fell asleep, nor awoke before the light 

 in the eastern sky proclaimed the advent of another 

 day. 



This day's walk led us through an undulating 

 country, bordering on the rough, rugged hills which 

 stretch from here to the Zambesi. We crossed a 

 good deal of elephant spoor during the forenoon, 

 some not more than a day or two old, but saw none 

 absolutely fresh until late in the afternoon, when we 

 crossed the spoor of a troop of bulls that had passed 

 during the preceding night. The " veldt " about 

 here seemed admirably suited for elephants, as there 

 were great quantities of the " machabel " tree, of 

 which they are particularly fond. 



As the sun was now fast sinking towards the 

 horizon, it behoved us to look for water and arrange 

 our camp for the night. From the game spoor 

 about — zebra, impala, rhinoceros, buffalo, etc., all of 

 which are animals that drink regularly every day — we 

 knew there must be either a vley or river at no great 

 distance ; and soon afterwards, at the foot of a long 

 low hill, we came to a deep watercourse, and, following 

 it down for about a mile, discovered a small water 

 hole under a high bank, which had evidently been 

 dug out in the sand by elephants or other game. 

 However, from the broad footpaths which continued 

 down the river, trampled deep into the ground by 

 generations of their huge feet, and with quite recent 

 spoor upon them, it was plain to me that there was 

 a larger pool at no great distance ; so, as there was 



