chap. I. THE ' ROGUE: ii 



ward, tail erect, trunk thrown high in the air, with its 

 distended tip pointed to the spot from which he winds 

 the silent but approaching danger. Perfectly motionless 

 does he stand, like a statue in ebony, the very essence 

 of attention, every nerve of scent and hearing stretched 

 to its cracking point ; not a muscle moves, not a sound 

 of a rustling branch against his rough sides ; he is a 

 mute figure of wild and fierce eagerness. Meanwhile, 

 the wary tracker stoops to the ground, and with a prac- 

 tised eye pierces the tangled brushwood in search of 

 his colossal feet. Still farther and farther he silently 

 creeps forward, when suddenly a crash bursts through 

 the jungle ; the moment has arrived for the ambushed 

 charge, and the elephant is upon him. 



What increases the danger is the uncertainty 

 prevailing in all the movements of a ' rogue.' You 

 may perhaps see him upon a plain or in a forest. As 

 you advance he retreats, or he may at once charge. 

 Should he retreat, you follow him ; but you may 

 shortly discover that he is leading you to some 

 favourite haunt of thick jungle or high grass, from 

 which, when you least expect it, he will suddenly 

 burst out in full charge upon you. 



Next to a 'rogue' in ferocity, and even more 



persevering in the pursuit of her victim, is a female 



elephant when her young one has been killed. In such 



a case she will generally follow up her man until 



either he or she is killed. If any young elephants are 



C 



