152 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



Punishment is administered by the chiefs for acts of 

 insubordination ; and it is not uncommon to see an 

 offender seized by older elephants, and dealt resound- 

 mu: blows from their trunks. When they are on the 

 march, changing their locality, they camp each night 

 in the form of the hollow square I have described, 

 posting, beside, advance guards, like sentinels, to watch 

 that no enemy steal upon them unaware. 



Ever since Thursday had entered my service he had 

 continually urged me to go on a hunt especially for 

 elephants, assuring me that it was the most exciting 

 and interesting sport possible. One night soon after 

 this last adventure, he was speaking again on the same 

 subject, and I at length consented, on one condition, — 

 that having enjoyed all the excitement of the chase, 

 we should not kill the elephant. Even Thursday's 

 greed for pay, and consequent rum, would not have 

 accepted this condition had I not promised him double 

 wages for the whole time we were out. This brought 

 him to terms; and he proceeded to hire four other 

 natives as his assistants, and one fine morning we set 

 out for elephant-land. 



The five negroes were armed with shovel and pick, 

 for we were simply going to hunt our game in am- 

 buscade, — that is, take an elephant by tempting him 

 into a pit covered over with l)ranches and leaves. To 

 make the pit, and cover it so that the elephant would 

 not notice it, was easy enough ; b^it what I was moro 



