294 COW-ELEPHANT AND YOUNG ONE. 



were placed before me, and I thoroughly enjoyed 

 the repast, finding hunger, as usual, a good sauce even 

 for fish. 



A pipe followed luncheon ; and while I was 

 smoking it one of my gunbearers, who had been 

 taking a stroll on his own account, came running up 

 to me in a state of great excitement, saying that as he 

 was rambling down the river bed in search of more 

 fish, he ha(J suddenly found himself uncomfortably 

 close to an old cow-elephant that had been left be- 

 hind by the herd, with her young one; the latter being 

 so small, that it was able to get on but slowly. He 

 said that on seeing him the cow, leaving her young 

 behind, charged him, but he had escaped by hiding 

 behind a tree. 



As this man described the young elephant as being 

 exceedingly small, I at once resolved to try and 

 capture it alive, knowmg that if I should first succeed 

 in killing the cow I could have but little difiiculty. 

 Accordingly, taking Moloka and the newsbearer with 

 me, I hastened to the spot where they had been seen 

 last. There was the spoor right enough, and I had 

 not gone far on it when the old lady appeared walk- 

 ing quietly along with the little one by her side. The 

 mother seemed in a great state of fear, stopping every 

 few yards and looking round. The utmost caution 

 was necessary in approaching her, and I don't sup- 

 pose either of my companions liked the work. Once 

 she turned round, and with ears back and coiled 

 trunk, charged headlong through a thick clump of 

 bushes, evidently thinking there was something un- 



