378 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



waggon spoor from Umfule to try and get some 

 powder, coffee, etc., from us. They had shot a ftw 

 elephants near the sources of the Umfule, and had 

 also seen fresh spoor on this side of our main camp. 

 When we showed them the ten fine tusks of the bulls 

 we had shot at the Hanyane, Cornelius exclaimed 

 enviously, " Alle-machtig, yella Engelesche is geluc- 

 kach gewes " — i.e. By the Almighty, you English 

 have been lucky. 



It was now arranged that Cross, Goulden, and 

 Wood should return to our big camp with the Boers 

 on the following day, and hunt the country between 

 the Umfule and Zweswe rivers, whilst Clarkson and 

 I remained behind for a short time to hunt the 

 mahobo-hobo forests in the neighbourhood of our 

 present camp. On the 8th of October Clarkson 

 went out on foot to look for a pig down the river, 

 whilst I, having hurt my foot the day before, 

 remained at the waggons alone. About ten o'clock 

 the cattle-herd came running up, saying there were 

 some elephants amongst the oxen. Of course I got 

 up the horses, and taking one of Clarkson's, rode 

 with the boy to where he had seen the elephants, which 

 had now decamped. I soon got the spoor, and as 

 they had run off in single file, was able to gallop 

 along at a good pace. Now and then, however, they 

 had separated, and I had then to go slowly, and take 

 the spoor carefully. At last, after I had been riding 

 for about an hour, I sighted their dusky forms, and 

 was soon alongside of them. Never was an expectant 

 hunter more disappointed. There were about a 

 dozen elephants, three large, tuskless cows, and the 

 rest little bits of things, not one amongst them worth 

 shooting. I rode twice round them, and was very 

 nearly turning back without firing a shot, but 



