DISCOVER A HERD OF BULL ELEPHANTS. 297 



Having followed the spoor for a short distance, old 

 JMutchuisho became extremely excited, and told me 

 that yvG \Yere close to the elephants. A few minutes 

 after several of the spoorers affirmed that they had 

 heard the elephants break a tree in advance ; they dif- 

 fered, however, about the direction, some saying it was 

 in front, and others that it was away to our left. Two 

 or three men quickly ascended tiie tallest trees that 

 stood near us, but they could not see the elephants. 

 Mutchuisho then extended men to the right and left, 

 while we continued on the spoor. 



In a few minutes one of those who had gone off to 

 our left came running breathless to say that he had 

 seen the mighty game. I halted for a minute, and in- 

 structed Isaac, who carried the big Dutch rifle, to act 

 independently of me, while Kleinboy was to assist me 

 in the chase ; but, as usual, when the row began, my 

 followers thought only of number one. I bared my 

 arms to the shoulder, and, having imbibed a draught 

 of aqua pura from the calabash of one of the spoorers, 

 I grasped my trusty two-grooved rifle, and told my 

 guide to go ahead. We proceeded silently as might be 

 for a few hundred yards, following the guide, when he 

 suddenly pointed, exclaiming, " Klow I" and before us 

 stood a herd of mighty bull elephants, packed together 

 beneath a shady grove about a hundred and fifty yards 

 in advance. I rode slowly toward them, and, as soon 

 as they observed me, they made a loud rumbling noise, 

 and, tossing their trunks, wheeled right about and made 

 off in one direction, crashing through the forest and 

 leaving a cloud of dust behind them. I was accom- 

 panied by a detachment of my dogs, who assisted me 

 in the pursuit. 



The distance I had come, and the difficulties I had 

 N2 



