A FEAST AND A FAST UNSUCCESSFUL ELEPHANT-HUNT. 357 



On arriving at Elephant Kloof we had better success. 

 My first prize consisted of a magnificent giraffe, which 

 dropped dead to the first shot — the only instance I recol- 

 lected of killing this animal outright with a single bullet. I 

 never before or since (excepting, perhaps, a cow-elephant) 

 saw so fat an animal. The flesh was delicious, and I thought 

 my men would kill themselves by gorging. Indeed, Bonfiekl 

 became seriously ill, and for a whole week was unable to 

 take nourishment of any description, not even coffee. Ev- 

 ery thing he tried to swallow was instantly rejected. At one 

 time I became apprehensive for his safety. My Griqua guide 

 also got indisposed from feeding too heartily on an oily os- 

 trich. 



From the midst of abundance we were, or rather I was, 

 soon reduced to the other extreme. When half way to Ot- 

 jombinde we encountered some Bushmen, who persuaded me 

 to go in search of elephants, which they said abounded at no 

 great distance. A person might visit the place they frequent- 

 ed, and come back the same day. Having hastily made a 

 few arrangements, I set out, but, foolishly relying on their 

 statements, provided myself with only one small slice of raw- 

 flesh, which, after a while, in the full anticipation of a quick 

 and successful return, I gave to the half-starved " children 

 of the desert." I was sadly out of reckoning, however, for, 

 instead of it being merely a few hours to the water in ques- 

 tion, we traveled a whole day at a brisk pace before reaching 

 our destination. 



"We were now at the beginning of the cold season, and the 

 nights had already attained a very low temperature. The 

 day had been oppressively hot, we had journeyed rapidly, 

 and, in the hurry, I had come away without my coat. As 

 evening set in I felt a deadly chill stealing over me, and 

 though we found fuel, I deemed it necessary to do with as 

 little fire as possible, for fear of alarming the elephants, should 

 they make their appearance. Thrusting my head into a bush, 



