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EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XXIII. 



spersed with streams, and occasional patches of 

 forest, in which the recent ravages of elephants 

 were surprising. Here, to our inexpressible grati- 

 fication, we descried a large herd of those long- 

 sought animals, lazily browsing at the head of a 

 distant valley, our attention having been first di- 

 rected to it, by the strong and not to be mistaken 

 etfluvia with which the wind was impregnated. 

 Never having before seen the noble elephant in 

 his native jungles, we gazed on the sight before us 

 with intense and indescribable interest. Our feel- 

 ings on the occasion even extended to our followers. 

 As for Andries, he became so agitated that he could 

 scarcely articulate. With open eyes and quivering 

 lips he at length stuttered forth " Dar stand de 

 olifant.''' Mohanycom and 'Lingap were imme- 

 diately despatched to drive the herd back into the 

 valley, up which we rode slowly and without noise, 

 against the wind ; and arriving within one hundred 

 and fifty yards unperceived, we made our horses 

 fast, and took up a commanding position in an old 

 stone kraal. The shouting of the savages, who now 

 appeared on the height rattling their shields, caused 

 the huge animals to move unsuspiciously towards us, 

 and even within ten yards of our ambush. The 

 group consisted of nine, all females with large tusks. 

 We selected the finest, and with perfect dehberation 

 fired a volley of five balls into her. She stumbled, 

 but recovering herself, uttered a shrill note of lamen- 

 tation, when the whole party threw their trunks 

 above their heads, and instantly clambered up the 



