A Jungle Trip. 275 



about seventy yards' distance. Three more elephants, 

 were among the rocks, browsing upon the long grass. 



We now heard unmistakable sounds of a large num- 

 ber of elephants in the jungle below us, from which 

 the seven elephants in the hollow had only just 

 emerged, and we quietly waited for the appearance of 

 the whole herd, this being their usual feeding-time. 



One by one they majestically stalked from the jungle. 

 We were speculating on the probable number of this 

 large herd, when one of them suddenly winded us, and, 

 with magical quickness, they all wheeled round and 

 rushed back into the jungle. 



Calling upon my little troop of gun-bearers to keep 

 close up, away we dashed after them at full speed ; 

 down the steep hollow and through the high lemon 

 grass, now trampled into lanes by the retreating ele- 

 phants. 



In one instant the jungle seemed alive ; there were 

 upward of fifty elephants in the herd. The trumpets 

 rang through the forest, the young trees and underwood 

 crashed in all directions with an overpowering noise, as 

 this mighty herd, bearing everything before it, crashed 

 in one united troop through the jungle. 



At the extreme end of the grassy hollow there was a 

 snug corner formed by an angle in the jungle. A glade 

 of fine short turf stretched for a small distance into the 

 forest, and, as the herd seemed to be bearing down in 

 this direction, Wortley and I posted off as hard as we 

 could go, hoping to intercept them if they crossed the 

 glade. We arrived there in a few moments, and, tak- 

 ing our position on this fine level sward, about ten paces 

 from the forest, we awaited the apparently irresistible 

 storm that was bursting exactly upon us. 



