SURROUNDED BY ELEPHANTS 



A small stream ran between the road and the bush. 

 We left the car, as the Colonel wanted a better look at 

 the beasts, but when we came within thirty yards 

 I stopped, as we had only small carbines, and I was 

 quite satisfied to look at them from that distance. 

 The Colonel actually crept within twenty yards of the 

 animals, and they never took the least notice, but went 

 on quietly feeding. When we got a couple of hundred 

 yards farther along the road to a place where the 

 outpost had built a little circular wall with bushes on 

 top to screen them, the men had a fearful story to 

 relate. Thousands of elephants had been round them 

 all night. The chief spokesman had a fearsome tale 

 to tell, and the Colonel, with a twinkle in his eye, 

 encouraged him. He was thoroughly enjoying it. 



At intervals in the story the elephants would pull 

 a bush off the wall and feel over with their trunks, 

 whilst the six men inside were lying very flat on the 

 ground. Day ultimately broke without any casualties, 

 but everybody had suffered a great fright. One of the 

 men asked me with deadly seriousness if elephants 

 ever ate you ! 



HI 



An aerodrome is hardly the place where one would 

 expect to see a lion. This fearsome animal, however, 

 is no respecter of persons or of things. A beautiful 

 stretch of grass with repairing shops and petrol stores 



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