302 THE ELEPHANT. 



when subjects for the compass and the pencil were 

 temporarily exhausted, that I had opportunity to 

 enjoy my gun ; and if at such times I happened to 

 be in an elephant country, I cared little for any 

 other game ; following the creature's " spoor" by 

 day, and watching by the pool where he came to 

 quench his thirst during the hours of darkness, 

 were then rny chief occupations. During this period, 

 I had many interesting, and not a few dangerous 

 encounters with the huge animal ; and though 

 occasionally my success was inconsiderable, yet, on 

 the whole, I was well repaid for all my labour and 

 trouble ; not a few of my prizes proved splendid 

 specimens of the giant race, and bore tusks that 

 even Gordon Gumming would have beheld with 

 rapture. 



From the exhausted state of my exchequer, how- 

 ever, and other circumstances, I was unable to 

 maintain a stud of horses suitable for elephant- 

 hunting, and was consequently compelled to pursue 

 the sport on my own legs ; that is, generally, for 

 once in a time I followed the spoor of the animal, 

 for a certain distance at least, on ox-back, my usual 

 way of travelling in Africa. 



As, therefore, I am best acquainted with the 

 chasse of the elephant on foot, I will speak of it in 

 the first instance. 



On arriving at a pool which elephants are known, 

 or suspected, to frequent for the purpose of slaking 

 their thirst, the ground in the vicinity is carefully 

 examined, and if there is evidence of these animals 

 having recently been there, preparations are at once 



