With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



I notice now two small owls of a rare species 

 (Pisorhina capensis] not yet included in my ornithological 

 collection, and I am tempted to bring them down with 

 my flintlock, which I have always handy. By this 

 time I have myself given up all hope of getting at the 

 elephants we have a long streak of the rising country 

 ahead of us in view. This calls down on me the reproach 

 of my trusty old Almasi, who regards the owl as a bird 

 of evil omen, the killing of which will bring us misfortune. 

 And the prophecy though I laughed at it at the time- 

 came very near fulfilment. 



In the course of the next half-hour my chief guide 

 and I became aware of a strong scent of elephants, 

 and almost immediately afterwards we espied, about a 

 mile and a quarter ahead of us, on a hill, clearly de- 

 fined in the bright tropical light, two dark groups of 

 elephants quietly at rest. It was again a case for quick 

 action. 



Most of my men. .would have to remain behind 

 while the three most trusty of them and two Masai and 

 myself went on near the elephants. Much to my anxiety, 

 the very slight breeze until then blowing behind us 

 became stronger, and I had almost given up hope as I 

 lay concealed in the grass, when, suddenly changing 

 round, it began to come towards us from the elephants. 



The plains were here very bare, with little on them 

 except withered acacias. I succeeded, however, in getting 

 to within two hundred paces of the elephants, and in taking 

 several photographs of them at this distance. I had to 

 exercise all my will-power to hold the camera steady, but 



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