THROUGH AFRICA FROM THE CAPE TO CAIRO. 437 



opportiin i t y of accurately estimating- the area covered. Besides a small 

 branch about 400 yards wide, the width at my crossing- was about 2 

 miles, and this was well on the slope of the hill; farther down, where 

 it met the eastern main stream, the width of the two combined can 

 not have been less than 15 miles. In the plain to the north of Kivu, 

 in the pass between the two blocks of volcanoes, and on the slopes to 

 the north, oAving to the porous nature of the ground, there is no water; 

 yet, in spite of this, there is an enormous population, the necessary 

 water being- obtained by tapping- the stems of the banana palms. The 

 moisture is retained by the ground, and consequently the forests that 

 clothe the slopes of the volcanoes are wildly luxuriant and impene- 

 trable to everything- but the elephant. When hunting and following- 

 close on the tracks of an elephant we had to cut our way with a native 

 ax, without which no one moves a yard. For hundreds of yards at a 

 time one never touched the ground, but was climbing- along- the pros- 

 trate tree trunks and dense growth, which, of course, the elephant 

 would take in its stride. More desperate work or more dangerous 

 hunting it would be impossible to conceive. 



Although the forests were full of elephants, it was only after a week's 

 terrible work that I found one; and then I had to tire at him at 2 yards, 

 as, if I stepped back, I could no longer see him. It was impossible to 

 creep to either side of him. so impenetrable was the undergrowth, and 

 I had perforce to take the shot as it was or lose the chance. The eti'ect 

 on the sportsman of firing a double four bore at such close quarters 

 can be better imag-ined than described. As for the elephant. I believe 

 he is still running. The next day I followed up another, and, after 

 knocking- him down three times, was furiously charged and either 

 kicked or carried by the rush on to some thorn tree 10 feet above the 

 gfround, my gun being picked up 10 yards away in the opposite dii-ec- 

 tion, full of blood. I could not see him till his head was right above 

 me, when I pulled off both barrels of the 0.500 magnum that I was 

 carrying. This evidently turned him. I was pulled down from my 

 spiky perch by my nig-gers, who, seeing me drenched with blood, 

 thought I must be dead, till an examination proved that it was the (ele- 

 phant's blood. On resuming the chase he got my wind again, but 

 fearing the charge, merely let off some superfluous steam in throwuig 

 trees al)out— a performance that so impressed me that I have never 

 tackled an elephant with any degree of comfort since. After ten 

 minutes of this exhausting display he fell down. ))ut pulled himself 

 together again and went straight away, and though I followed hnn 

 till it was too dark to see, I never found him. We had had neither 

 food nor water all day, and it rained all night, necessitating a hungry 

 and chillv vigil, during which I had ample time for calm reflection- 

 reflection which ended in the conclusion that elephant hunting in the 

 scale of sports might be placed between croquet and marbles. Sharp, 



