Further Experiences with Elephant 



morning? We heard no noise as of others 

 rushing off. A thing to bear in mind when one 

 is elephant shooting, is that possibly there are 

 others about, though they may be invisible ; so, 

 when you have shot one, don't hang about in 

 admiration, but go straight on, sending an orderly 

 tearing ahead to see and hear what he can. 



At the top of the next rise — the country was 

 now much cut up with broad nullahs and broader 

 ridges between — I met a naked savage with rolling 

 eyeballs, who imparted the joyful tidings that a 

 huge herd was blissfully feeding down below. 



This was a big thing, and no mistake ! 



A single elephant is pretty terrifying, but 

 a huge herd! Was he sure? How many? 

 " A hundred ; not counting young ones ! " 

 This meant, I expected, forty or fifty ; but 

 there were the nasty cross old cows to take 

 into consideration this time. However, there 

 was no use thinking till we got close up 

 to them. I brought my glasses into play on the 

 herd, and there they were, slowly feeding across 

 our front, making a great noise the while, 

 breaking off and stripping the branches prepara- 

 tory to stuffing the leaves into their mouths. 

 The valley seemed alive with them. We sat 

 down on a rock and watched them through my 

 glasses passing along half a mile away. Yes ! 

 There was a bull ; and another ; and then a 

 group of four females with three young bulls ; 



267 



