ELEPHANT HUNTING. 261 



fore us. Here the trees were large and handsome, but 

 not strong enough to resist the inconceivable strength 

 of the mighty monarchs of these forests. Almost everjf 

 tree had half its branches broken short by them, and 

 at every hundred yards I came upon entire trees, and 

 these the largest in the forest, uprooted clean out of the 

 ground, or broken short across their stems. I observed 

 several large trees placed in an inverted position, hav- 

 ing their roots uppermost in the air. Our friend had 

 here halted, and fed for a long time upon a large, wide- 

 spreading tree, which he had broken short across within 

 a few feet of the ground. After following the spoor 

 some distance further through the dense mazes of the 

 forest, we got into ground so thickly trodden by ele- 

 phants that we were baffled in our endeavors to trace 

 the spoor any further ; and after wastin^everal hours 

 in attempting by casts to take up the proper spoor, we 

 gave it up, and with a sorrowful heart I turned my 

 horse's head toward camp. 



Having reached the wagons, while drinking my cof 

 fee I reviewed the whole day's work, and felt much re- 

 gret at my want of luck in my first day's elephant 

 hunting, and I resolved that night to watch the water, 

 and try what could be done with elephants by night 

 shooting. I accordingly ordered the usual watching- 

 hole to be constructed, and, having placed my bedding 

 in it, repaired thither shortly after sundown. I had 

 lain about two hours in the hole, when I heard a low 

 rumbling noise like distant thunder, caused (as the 

 Bechuanas affirmed) by the bowels of the elephants 

 which were approaching the fountain. I lay or. my 

 back, with my mouth open, attentively listening, and 

 could hear them plowing up the earth with their tusks. 

 Presently they walked up to the water, and commenced 



