THE ALARM. 95 



escaped. I then led them up to a clump of trees, 

 from whence the herd were visible, and having 

 counselled the Doctor to give us sufficient time to 

 get round and take post before he commenced ope- 

 rations, Fred and I went back some distance before 

 we began our circuitous route. Having worked up 

 the hill until we had got into the proper line to 

 cut off any stragglers, we commenced to descend 

 slowly towards where we thought the herd were 

 feeding, for we were some hundreds of feet above 

 the ppot where we left the Doctor's party, when 

 suddenly I heard a low sound and snapping of 

 branches a short distance below us, and peeping 

 cautiously over a boulder of rock, I saw a male 

 and two females feeding quietly within fifty yards 

 of us. I pointed them out to Fred, telling him to 

 take the tusker as soon as the Doctor's party had 

 opened fire. We remained a few moments in sus- 

 pense, anxiously watching the game, and listening 

 for the first shot, when to our surprise we heard a 

 running fire some distance to our right ; and as 

 the elephants near us pricked up their ears and 

 rushed forward alarmed at the report, Fred brought 



