THE LADO ENCLAVE 



them for about an hour, when Matakanga, who was 

 ahead, drew back and sheltered behind a bush. Almost 

 at the same moment I heard a low rumbling sound, and 

 telling the boys to fall back a short distance, which they 

 did with surprising alacrity, I crept forward and saw 150 

 yards off about twenty elephants. They continued to 

 graze, with their huge ears flapping, while I waited for 

 an opportunity to get a good shot at the nearest decent- 

 sized bull. I was disappointed, however, for a huge old 

 female raised her trunk aloft and trumpeted shrilly. 

 The herd set off pell mell to the left, and crashing through 

 the grass and bush were soon lost to sight. They stopped 

 suddenly, and I was about to set off in pursuit when my 

 boy signed to me that it was no use, for the wind was 

 behind us, and we should have to take a circuitous route. 



These natives carry a small bag filled with fine ashes 

 from the fire. The contrivance is used in the fashion 

 of a pepper castor, the fight ashes showing the direction 

 in which the wind is blowing. They employ it when 

 stalking to make sure that the game shall not " get 

 their wind." Wild animals are notoriously keen of nose, 

 and it is said that an elephant can scent a man half a 

 mile off. 



After travelling round in a circular course for some 

 few hours, I was rewarded ere sunset by bringing down a 

 fair-sized bull whose tusks weighed thirty-five and thirty- 

 seven pounds respectively. For the Enclave this is not 

 very small in these days, for there is no doubt that the 

 big brutes have been driven back to the Welle since the 

 time when Buckley and Pearson, and one or two others, 

 first entered this country. 



It is curious that elephants are " left handed," if 

 the expression may be employed in connection with these 

 brutes. The left tusk is always worn shorter than the 

 right by constant work. A great many people think 

 that an elephant can be shot in the forehead with fatal 



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