256 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



would have in a hay-field. The bushes in most places rose 

 just above their backs, so that they were completely hid 

 from the hunter even a few feet away. Yet the cover af- 

 forded no shade to the mighty beasts, and it seemed strange 

 that elephants should stand in it at mid-day with the sun out. 

 There they were, however, for, looking cautiously into the 

 cover from behind the bushes on a slight hill crest quarter 

 of a mile off, we could just make out a huge ear now and 

 then as it lazily flapped. 



On account of the wind we had to go well to one side 

 before entering the jungle. Then in we went in single 

 file, Cuninghame and Tarlton leading, with a couple of our 

 naked guides. The latter showed no great desire to get too 

 close, explaining that the elephants were "very fierce." 

 Once in the jungle, we trod as quietly as possible, thread- 

 ing our way along the elephant trails, which crossed and 

 recrossed one another. Evidently it was a favorite haunt, 

 for the sign was abundant, both old and new. In the im- 

 penetrable cover it was quite impossible to tell just where 

 the elephants were, and twice we sent one of the savages up 

 a tree to locate the game. The last time the watcher, who 

 stayed in the tree, indicated by signs that the elephant were 

 not far off; and his companions wished to lead us round 

 to where the cover was a little lower and thinner. But 

 to do so would have given them our wind, and Cuninghame 

 refused, taking into his own hands the management of the 

 stalk. I kept my heavy rifle at the ready, and on we went, 

 in watchful silence, prepared at any moment for a charge. 

 We could not tell at what second we might catch our first 

 glimpse at very close quarters of "the beast that hath 

 between his eyes the serpent for a hand," and when thus 



