298 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



of them lay dead within a few paces of each other 

 The u rogue," who knew how to take care of himself, 

 escaped with only one companion. Upon these tracks 

 we now followed without loss of time. 



An hour was thus occupied. We tracked them 

 through many glades and jungles, till we at length dis- 

 covered in a thick che'nar the fresh tracks of another 

 herd, which the *' rogue " arfd his companion had evi- 

 dently joined, as his immense foot-print was very con- 

 spicuous among the numerous marks of the herd. 

 Passing cautiously through a thick jungle, we at length 

 emerged upon an extensive tract of high lemon grass. 

 There was a small pool of water close to the edge of 

 the jungle, which was surrounded with the fresh dung 

 of elephants, and the muddy surface of the water was 

 still agitated by the recent visit of some of these thirsty 

 giants. 



Carefully ascending some slightly rising ground, and 

 keeping close to the edge of the jungle, we peered over 

 the high grass. 



We were in the very centre of the herd, who were 

 much scattered. It was very late, being nearly dusk ; 

 but we counted six elephants here and there in the high 

 grass within sixty paces of us, while the rustling in the 

 jungle to our left warned us that a portion of the herd 

 had not yet quitted this cover. We knew that the 

 " rogue " was somewhere close at hand, and after his 

 recent defeat would be doubly on the alert. Our plans 

 therefore required the greatest vigilance. 



There was no doubt as to the proper course to pur 

 sue, which was to wait patiently until the whole herd 

 had left the jungle and concentrated in the high grass ; 

 but the waning daylight did not permit of such a steady 



