CHAP. iv. ELEPHANT. 191 



on their way. On sending for them, and cross-question- 

 ing them, I found that they had seen but one track, but 

 that it, from certain indications they had noticed, was 

 certainly not more than a couple of hours old. The news 

 was received with great pleasure, as every one was tired 

 of our forced inaction, and preparations were at once made 

 to start at daylight. 



The morning broke dull and heavy, and though there 

 was as yet no wind, the scud flying from the south-west 

 showed that a gale might be expected from that wet 

 quarter, and I therefore fortunately told my servant to 

 roll my blanket up and give it to one of the men, as we 

 knew from the distance that we should be obliged to sleep 

 out at least one night. There were eight or ten miles to 

 go in the first instance before we reached the flat, and the 

 path down which we had to travel could not have been 

 rougher or more disagreeable, covered as it was with 

 innumerable sharp-edged stones, which cut into the naked 

 feet of the Kaffirs, and made me wince, even through my 

 shoes. There were six of us in ah 1 three hunters, two 

 carriers, and myself, the guns being placed in cases made 

 of leopard or antelope skin, which, so long at least as they 

 were not wanted for use, would keep them dry. 



Once on the plain the walking became easy, and for 

 another fifteen miles we slanted across it, beginning to 

 look out for the spoor towards the end. I had told the 

 men at first to try and shoot something for food, but it 

 was not until the spoor was found that anything showed 

 itself, and then unfortunately I allowed a duiker, which 

 stood within a few yards of me, to go away, not as yet 

 knowing when the elephant had passed, or how far off 



