THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



Nearer and nearer I stole with still more caution, for 

 the wind had entirely died away, and, as is very usual in 

 thick forests, is liable to spring up again in another direc- 

 tion. The forest was rather dense in this place, the big 

 trees making the shadow so deep that a snapshot was 

 almost impossible; but, trusting to good luck, I tried to 

 approach the herd still nearer. Both my men began to 

 feel uneasy at about forty yards from the elephants, but 

 I simply ordered them to follow me as silently as possible. 

 I must confess that my own heart beat a little faster than 

 usual at the prospect of this wonderful opportunity of 

 observing a herd of elephants from such close quarters, 

 and I was fully aware of the danger of the undertaking. 



I had told the " camera man " to walk next to me, 

 followed by the gun bearer, who was one of the most 

 courageous natives I have ever employed. We were mak- 

 ing for a small elevation some twenty yards away from 

 the herd, from which point I wanted to take the picture. 

 I was at the time carrying the big .577 express rifle myself, 

 and was just considering what stop to use, and how 

 long exposure to give, when all of a sudden there was a 

 commotion among the elephant herd, the wind having evi- 

 dently changed its direction. Up went all the trunks in a 

 kind of " S " form, while with outspread ears the forest 

 giants began to trumpet furiously, so that the whole region 

 reechoed with their angry tones, a magnificent, never-to- 

 be-forgotten spectacle! I turned around for my precious 

 camera only to see the man, apparently without a thing 

 in his hands, climbing a large cedar tree, a dozen or so 

 yards away, while even my gun bearer, shouting, " Wana 

 kuja " ("They are coming"), ran for another tree. 



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