THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 297 



nately they were now in the thickest of the thick forest; 

 and, having been aroused from their siesta, they had 

 scattered widely in order to feed. We sneaked here 

 and there. 



Suddenly it began to rain. 



Cuninghame made a gesture of despair. When it 

 rains, elephants cease all occupation and stand as 

 rigidly quiet as though stuffed. One depends a good 

 deal upon the sense of hearing. Now the trumpetings 

 ceased, the crashes of torn branches ceased. A dead 

 silence fell on the forest, except for the pattering and 

 swishing of the rain. 



Then with terrifying abruptness pandemonium broke 

 loose — trumpetings, shrill angry screams, wild crash- 

 ings, headlong rushes to and fro. The forest seemed 

 overflowing with devils. A twist of the wind had dis- 

 covered our presence to the herd. 



They did not know where we were: only that we 

 were somewhere. There ensued the most exciting 

 period I have ever experienced, but whether it was 

 ten minutes or two hours, I did not know. The ele- 

 phants screamed and yelled and rushed here and there 

 looking for us. We could see the tops of the smaller 

 trees and bushes violently agitated, often within a few 

 yards, as the beasts passed ; but so thick was the cover 

 that we did not again actually see them. Our ears 

 strained for every sound, we ducked and dodged and 

 sneaked. It was no longer a question of shooting an 



