-* The Spell of the Hlelescho 



that 1 bad seen bc;t\vccn ihc dwarf crazcllcs and the; zebras 

 durinL;' the day. Could 1 be; only drc^amin^" ? Such a 

 multitude ot huge creatures here close to m\" camp — it 

 could hardl\- be a reality ! 



Antl now I perceived that a second herd of elephants, 

 some hundreds strong, was approaching the water. In a 

 straight line these still more giant-like colossi came; down 

 to the lake margin — all of them, as I now clearly per- 

 ceived, bulls with mighty tusks, and amongst them some 

 quite enormous tuskers, obviously patriarchs of the herd, 

 and carrying some hundreds of pounds' weight of ivory 

 that glittered afar in the moonlight. 



The two herds greeted each other with their curious 

 cries, difficult to describe, and then the newcomers began 

 to bathe and drink. 



My attention was especially arrested by some of the 

 elephants, clearly visible in the moonlight, keeping apart 

 from the rest. Standing together in pairs they caressed 

 each other with their trunks, while the enormous ears 

 which are such an imposing decoration ot the African 

 elephant stood out from their heads, so as to make them 

 look larger than ever. 



My wonder increases ! Numerous herds of giraffes, 

 hundreds strong, come down to the lake, and this, too, not 

 far from the elephants, and without any fear. 



And now there is again a new picture ! A herd of 

 innumerable buffaloes. With their great formidable heads 

 turned watchfully towards the rest of the crowd, they too 

 are comino- for a refreshino- bath. Their numbers still 

 increase. It is a sight recalling, surpassing even, the 



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