66 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



There was no need to shoot; it would have been 

 like holding up a fan to fend off a cyclone. I hug- 

 ged my tree, keeping my gun in position. I was 

 discouraged; our efforts had been wasted and the 

 herd was scattered. That would be a fine story to 

 take back to the Sultan. 



When the elephants had passed, I called to the 

 men. We lighted torches and searched for the 

 injured. Three had been killed and twelve hurt, and 

 I was thankful there weren't more casualties. We 

 buried the dead. Ali brought up my medical kit 

 and helped me dress the wounds. 



After a few hours' sleep, I found that I wasn't 

 quite so discouraged, and so I called the men to- 

 gether and lectured them on the necessity of being 

 careful. They showed no signs of mutiny, and so 

 we started off again in search of the herd. It was 

 not difficult to find them, for they cut a swath in 

 the jungle to the point where they stopped, five miles 

 from the scene of the stampede. 



Again I posted guides in the trees and spread 

 out the drivers. Every man was alert, and, when 

 night ended, we were considerably nearer the trap. 

 In the minds of the elephants there seemed to be 

 no connection between the noise that was driving 

 them and the men they had seen the night before, 

 and they went ahead peaceably. 



Leaving scouts to watch the herd, I gathered 

 the men together and praised them. Success re- 

 kindled the enthusiasm that had been damped by the 



