XIX 



FURTHER EXPERIENCES 

 WITH ELEPHANT 



I WAS trekking north en route for Khartoum, 

 knowing full well I was in elephant country, 

 and that news might be expected at any 

 moment in the shape of the return of an 

 advanced scout with " khabar " that a herd had 

 been located. 



One day we pitched our camp under a large 

 clump of nice shady thorn trees in a small clear- 

 ing of short grass, beautifully green, and indented 

 with the many tracks of game that nightly used 

 the water in the Nile in this neighbourhood. My 

 entourage were happy, and we were at peace 

 with all the world — quite contented, in fact. In 

 the middle of the night, whilst I was fast asleep, 

 one of the terrible thunderstorms which are 

 common in these latitudes burst right over the 

 camp and woke us all. Up I jumped and shouted 

 for the orderlies to get inside my tent and hang 

 on to the poles like grim death, as the wind had 

 risen and it was blowing great guns. They get 

 used to these climatic disturbances, and know 

 that if their own shelter is rendered untenable by 



253 



