chap. v. PLANNING AN ATTACK. 91 



deep in the water, about a quarter of a mile from the 

 shore ; and the question was, ' How were we to get 

 near them ? ' Having observed that the other rogues 

 had retreated to the forest at the noise of the firing, it 

 struck me that we might by some ruse induce these 

 two champions to follow their example, and, by meet- 

 ing them on their entrance, we might bring them tc 

 action. 



Not far upon our left, a long shallow bank, covered 

 with reeds, stretched into the tank. By wading knee- 

 deep along this shoal, a man might approach to 

 within 200 paces of the elephants and would be 

 nearly abreast of them. I, therefore, gave a man 

 a gun, and instructed him to advance to the extreme 

 end of the shallows, taking care to conceal himself in 

 the rushes, and when at the nearest point he was to 

 fire at the elephants. This, I hoped, would drive them 

 to the jungle, where we should endeavour to meet them. 



The Moorman entrusted upon this mission was a 

 plucky fellow, and he started off, taking a double gun 

 and a few charges of powder and ball. The elephant- 

 catchers were delighted with the idea, and we patiently 

 awaited the result. About a quarter of an hour passed 

 away, when we suddenly saw a puff of white smoke 

 spring from the green rushes at the point of the sand- 

 bank. A few moments after, we heard the report of 

 the gun, and we saw the ball splash in the water close 

 to the elephants. They immediately cocked their 



H 



