A Jungle Trip. 253 



with us the cook with his utensils, and the canteen con- 

 taining everything that could be required for breakfast. 

 We were thus prepared for a long day's work, should 

 it be necessary. 



After a ride of about eight miles along a sandy path, 

 bordered by dense jungle, we arrived at the open 

 but marshy ground upon which we had seen the tracks 

 of the herd a few days previous. Fresh elephant tracks 

 had accompanied us the whole way along our path, and 

 a herd was evidently somewhere in the vicinity, as the 

 path was obstructed in many places by the branches of 

 trees upon which they had been feeding during the 

 night. The sandy ground was likewise printed with 

 innumerable tracks of elk, deer, hogs and leopards. 

 We halted under some widespreading trees, beneath 

 which a clear stream of water rippled over a bed of 

 white pebbles, with banks of fine green sward. In this 

 spot were unmistakable tracks of elephants where they 

 had been recently drinking. The country was park- 

 like, but surrounded upon its borders with thick jun- 

 gles ; clumps of thorny bushes were scattered here and 

 there, and an abundance of good grass and water en- 

 sured a large quantity of game. The elephants were 

 evidently not far off, and of course were well secured 

 in the thorny jungles. 



Wortley had never yet seen a wild elephant, and a 

 dense jungle is by no means a desirable place for an 

 introduction to this kind of game. It is a rule of mine 

 never to follow elephants in such ground, where they 

 generally have it all their own way ; but, as there are 

 exceptions to all rules, we determined to find them, 

 after having taken so much trouble in making our ar- 

 rangements. 

 22 



