CH. xiv] El.EPHANTS 403 



chorus, we heard the roaring of lions and the trnnipet- 

 ing of elephants. We were indeed in tlie heart of the 

 African wilderness. 



Early in the morning after this concert we started for 

 a day's rhino hunt. Heller and Cuninghanie having just 

 finished the preparation, and transport to camp, of the 

 skin of Kerniit's bull. Loring, who had not liitherto 

 seen either elephant or rhino alive, went with us, and by 

 good luck he saw both. 



A couple of miles from camp we were crossing a 

 wide. Hat, swampy valley, in which the coarse grass 

 grew as tall as our heads. Here and there were kob, 

 which leaped up on the ant-hills to get a clear view of 

 us. Suddenly our attention was attracted by the move- 

 ments of a big flock of cow herons in front of us, and 

 then, watching sharply, we caught a glimpse of some 

 elephants about four hundred yards off. We now 

 cUmbed an ant-hill ourselves, and inspected the elephants, 

 : to see if among them were any big-tusked bulls. There 

 i were no bulls, however ; the little herd consisted of five 

 ' cows and four calves, which were marching across a 

 patch of burnt ground ahead of us, accompanied by 

 about fifty white cow herons. \Ve stood where we 

 I were until they had passed ; we did not wish to get too 

 close, lest they might charge us and force us to shoot in 

 I self-defence. They walked in unhurried confidence, and 

 i yet were watchful, continually cocking their ears and 

 I raising and curling their trunks. One dropped behind 

 and looked fixedly in our direction, probably having 

 heard us talking ; then, with head aloft and tail stiffly 

 ! erect, it hastened after the others, presenting an absurd 

 likeness to a baboon. The four calves played friskily 

 about, especially a very comical little pink fellow which 

 accompanied the leading cow. Meanwhile, a few of the 



