MAULED BY AN ELEPHANT 93 



in our favour; so we circled them to a large tree, 

 and I sent one of the boys up to see if he could 

 locate the big tusker. 



"We watched him for several minutes as 

 from his lofty perch he scanned the country. 

 Presently he pointed off to the right, and from 

 his signs we read that there were two tusk- 

 ers with good ivory, one rather small, but the 

 other the grandfather of all the elephants with 

 mighty tusks. I beckoned the man down, and 

 there, under the tree in whispered conversa- 

 tion, we planned the attack. 



"Our prize was on the far side of the herd 

 and in such a position that, should we attempt 

 to stalk him, there would be risk of some of 

 the elephants catching the scent and giving the 

 alarm. Nothing could be done, therefore, but 

 to keep watch until he had worked around to a 

 more favourable position. 



"Again the boy ascended the tree, and as 

 we lay upon the ground about the base we 

 could hear the elephants ripping up the grass. 

 It was probably half an hour before the boy 

 again descended and reported that the ele- 

 phants were working our way, and it would be 

 dangerous to remain there longer. So we took 



