ADVENTURE WITH ELEPHANTS. 



309 



CHAPTER LIT. 



AL VENTURE WITH ELEPHANTS. HABITS OF THE LION. 



N the 27th, as day dawned, say& 

 Mr. Gumming, I left my shooting- 

 hole, and proceeded to inspect the 

 spoor of my wounded elephant. 

 After following it for some distance I came 

 to an abrupt hillock, and fancying that from 

 the summit a good view might be obtained 

 of the surrounding country, I left my fol- 

 lowers to seek the spoor, while 1 ascended. 

 I did not raise my eyes from the ground until I had reached the 

 highest pinnacle of rock. I then looked east, and to my inex- 

 pressible gratification, beheld a troop of nine or ten elephants 

 quietly browsing within a quarter of a mile of me. I allowed 

 myself only one glance at them, and then rushed down to warn 

 my followers to be silent. A council of war was hastily held, the 

 result of TOhich was my ordering Isaac to ride hard to camp, with 

 instructions to return as quickly as possible, accompanied by Klein- 

 boy, and to bring me my dogs, the large Dutch rifle, and a fresh 



