

chap. vr. CLOSE OF A GOOD DA VS SPORT. 133 



flowed into the lake. A cautious approach upon rny 

 hands and knees, through the grass, brought me un- 

 discovered to the bank of the stream, where, in a small 

 bay, it emptied itself into the lake, and a flock of about 

 eighty teal were swimming among the water-lilies 

 within twenty yards of me. I fired one barrel on the 

 water, and the other in the air as they rose, killing 

 five and wounding a sixth, which escaped by continual 

 diving. On my way home I killed a few snipe, till at 

 length the cessation of daylight put an end to all 

 shooting. 



The moon was full and shone over the lake with 

 great brilliancy ; the air was cool and refreshing after 

 the great heat of the day ; and the chirp of the snipe 

 and whistling sound of the wild fowl on the lake were 

 the only noises that disturbed the wild scene around. 

 The tent fires were blazing brightly in the forest at 

 about a mile distant ; and giving my gun to the horse- 

 keeper, I mounted and rode towards the spot. 



I was within half a mile of the tent, and had just 

 turned round an angle made by the forest, when I sud- 

 denly saw the grey forms of several elephants, who had 

 just emerged from the forest, and were feeding in the 

 high grass within a hundred yards of me. I counted 

 seven, six of which were close to the edge of the jungle, 

 but the seventh was a large bull elephant, who had 

 advanced by himself about sixty yards into the plain. 

 I thought I could cut this fellow off, and, taking my 



