-* Elephant-Hunting 



my chance of laying her low with a second bullet, giving 

 the word at the same moment in a low voice to my men 

 to spread themselves out, on hands and feet, over the 

 ground in order to catch the young one. But the little 

 animal proves itself too strong and dangerous. It makes 

 for the men nearest to it, and they take to their heels. 

 My own eftbrts fail too, and off it goes with its tail 

 raised high in the air. 



Much disappointed at seeing the little beast disappear 

 over the velt, I find myself wishing again for a good 

 horse a very vain wish in these regions so that I could 

 go after it and catch it. Failing a horse, there is no 

 way of getting hold of it, so, leaving three men behind 

 us to convey to camp the big horns of the old rhinoc- 

 eros, we must proceed again on our chase after the 

 elephants. 



Hour after hour now passes without further break. At 

 last, towards four o'clock in the afternoon, all hope is almost 

 lost, and I begin to feel sure that the elephants, which 

 have kept in a bee-line all the time, have gone right 

 ahead to the next drinking-place. 



We halt for a brief space. The countenances of my 

 men denote exhaustion and discouragement. Their 

 thoughts are of the fleshpots of the well-watered camp, 

 As so often happens, however, their simple dispositions 

 are untroubled by some of the circumstances of the 

 situation that are most vexing to me. We hold a small 

 " council of war," with the result that we decide to go 

 on for a few more hours and then spend the night upon 

 the velt. 



173 



