94 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



proximity of the animals we were in search of. 

 Here I thought it advisable to halt the party whilst 

 I and Googooloo went forward to reconnoitre ; and 

 bidding them be as quiet as possible, we crept for- 

 ward along the trail, and in a few minutes caught 

 a glimpse of a herd of "five elephant, one of which 

 was a respectably sized tusker. We watched them 

 for a few moments, as, unconscious of our presence, 

 they browsed on the young and tender branches of 

 tufts of grass, which latter they beat against the 

 trees to free from earth before eating, making a 

 curious tapping noise, that had attracted our at- 

 tention some time before we caught sight of them. 

 Having made a cursory examination of the ground, 

 so as to mark the best line of approach, we 

 returned to our companions, who were looking out 

 for us most anxiously ; and it was arranged that 

 Fred and I should make a circuit, so as to get up 

 the hill on the other side of the herd, whilst the 

 Doctor and the Ghoorka, under the guidance of 

 Googooloo, should creep under cover as near as 

 they could, and take the first shots, which plan 

 might give us the chance of stopping those that 



