AN ELEPHANT 231 



but careful hunting failed to disclose their where- 

 abouts ; and then again we came to a many-tracked 

 path where they appeared to have moved on. For 

 two hours more we plodded as hurriedly as our 

 packs would permit— for of course we always car- 

 ried our outfit with us, that we might camp where 

 we found ourselves. Even I had begun to feel, as 

 we followed on doggedly, that the elephants had 

 gone out of the country— for on occasion they 

 travel far and rapidly when disturbed— when I 

 caught sound as of a branch breaking. Stopping 

 on the instant, we listened intently. There was 

 the stifled breathing of wind-blown men, the suck- 

 ing mud as one sought to get firmer foothold, and 

 then above all came the sound of tearing branches 

 we had learned to know so well the night before. 

 It is almost impossible to closely estimate distance 

 in the jungle ; you can not see, and in the prevailing 

 hush sharp sounds come very near and loud. 



There was a slight air stirring and I now moved 

 out from the tracks I had been following, that I 

 might work towards the elephants up wind. But 

 now we needed the jungle knife ; from tree to tree 

 we slowly advanced, cutting a way with utmost 

 care, even absurdly holding our breath, lest we 

 warn the huge creatures of our approach. By and 

 by it seemed as though the elephants must be 

 within stone's throw, for the noise was at hand 



