vni FRESH ELEPHANT TRACKS 151 



for mutual success, and the hope that before Jong we 

 should meet again, we parted. I lost no tune in 

 making arrangements to follow the elephants, and 

 after putting down my blankets and other baggage 

 with all the buffalo and pookoo meat, and leaving two 

 Kafirs in charge, at once started in pursuit, taking 

 care to have all the calabashes filled with water, and 

 not forgetting the large American axe to chop out the 

 tusks in case of success. On carefully examining the 

 spoor, my Bushmen reported that there were four 

 elephants, one large full-grown bull and three 

 younger ones. For about half a mile they had 

 followed one of the paths leading up the valley, and 

 then leaving it turned into the neighbouring jungle, 

 heading down the river in the direction from whence 

 we had come that morning. They had been feeding 

 quietly along, and I felt sure that we should come up 

 with them before long if they did not get our wind. 

 But that this contingency would happen I was very 

 much afraid, for the wind kept veering and chopping 

 about in a most distressing manner, and as the 

 elephants too held no particular course, but kept 

 doubling about in all directions, I began to fear they 

 would surely scent us before I could get up to them. 

 Besides this, the jungle was fearfully thick, and in 

 many places we found it difficult to creep through it 

 at all. After proceeding in this manner for about 

 three hours, following slowly and carefully on the 

 spoor, several unmistakable signs showed us that we 

 were not far behind our game, and might expect to 

 come up with them at any moment, and very shortly 

 afterwards, the Masara who was carrying my gun, 

 and taking the spoor, suddenly stopped and pointing 

 forwards, ejaculated the one word " Nansia " (I'here 

 they are), immediately followed by " Ee-ya-balecka " - 



