chap. v. A BAD ROGUE. 97 



iarly savage. The lake was then much diminished in 

 size by dry weather, and the water had retired for 

 about a hundred yards from the edge of the forest, 

 leaving a deep bed of mud covered with slime and 

 decayed vegetable matter. This slime had hardened 

 in the sun and formed a cake over the soft mud 

 beneath. Upon this treacherous surface a man could 

 walk with great care. Should the thin covering break 

 through, he would be immediately waist-deep in the 

 soft mud. To plod through this was the elephant's 

 delight. Smearing a thick coat of the black mud 

 over their whole bodies, they formed a defensive 

 armour against the attacks of mosquitoes, which are 

 the greatest torments that an elephant has to contend 

 with. 



I was watching the edge of the forest one afternoon 

 at about four o'clock, when I noticed the massive form 

 of one of these tank rogues stalk majestically from the 

 jungle and proceed through the deep mud towards 

 the lake. I had the wind, and I commenced stalking 

 him. 



Advancing with my two gun-bearers in single file, 

 I crept carefully from tree to tree along the edge of 

 the forest for about a quarter of a mile, until I arrived 

 at the very spot at which he had made his exit from 

 the jungle. 



I was now within eighty yards of him as he stood 

 with his head towards the lake and his hind-quarters 



