260 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



rections, and I at once knew that there must be a very 

 large herd of them. Having ascended a lofty thorn-tree, 

 I obtained a view of the gray backs of some of the ele- 

 phants appearing above the underwood of the forest. I 

 sent Ramachumie back to bring up the dogs, and when 

 they came I rode forward for a nearer inspection. It 

 was a troop of upward of a hundred elephants, but it 

 consisted entirely of cows and young bulls. Having 

 endeavored for nearly half an hour to select a good ele- 

 phant, I crept in within fifteen yards of a fairish bull, 

 and gave him a shot behind the shoulder : my follow- 

 ers, however, failed to slip the dogs or to bring on my 

 horse, and while I ran back for them the elephant got 

 away in the herd. The dogs attacked another bull, 

 which, after a long chase, I rolled over. The elephant 

 had scarcely fallen, when old Mutehuisho, with a party 

 of Bamangwato men, came up like a flight of vultures 

 in quest of flesh. The next day I shot another ele- 

 phant. 



On the 29th I again inspanned, and in the afternoon 

 crossed the Mocoolwey and drew up on its opposite 

 bank. On the march I hunted ahead of the wagons, 

 and shot a water-buck and doe, and started a troop of 

 seven or eight lions, headed by a patriarchal-looking old 

 fellow of unusual size. 



One long march across the country on the next day 

 brought the wagons to the Basileka. I hunted ahead 

 of the wagons, and shot two pallahs and a cow camel- 

 opard. We formed the wagons at my old camp; but, 

 observing tsetse on the horses, I at once resolved to leave 

 SeJeka's on the morrow. 



Ahoat midnight a huge lion made a most daring at- 

 tack on my cattle kraal, charging recklessly liirough 

 the thick thorn hedge : he sent the panic-stricken cat' 



