550 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



All this is plain sailing, and something we common mor 

 tals can comprehend, foreign and unusual as its picturings 

 and details are ; but it is nothing comparatively with what 

 Mr. Cummings has to tell of different modes of hunting the 

 elephant, as practised by himself higher up in the extraordi- 

 nary valley of the Limpopo. Hear him for his story 



On the 17th of September I resolved to leave the fountain 

 of Seboono, as it was much disturbed, and to proceed with 

 a few Bakalahari to a small yet famous ^vater about six miles 

 to the south-east. We accordingly saddled up and held 

 thither. On reaching this fountain, which is called by the 

 natives "Paapaa," I found the numerous foot-paths leading 

 to it covered, as I had anticipated, with fresh spoor of 

 elephant and rhinoceros. I then at once proceeded to study 

 the best spot on which to make our shooting-hole for the 

 night. It would be impossible to prevent some of the game 

 from getting our wind, for the foot-paths led to it from every 

 side. The prevailing wind was from the east, so I pitched 

 upon the south-west corner of the fountain. The water was 

 not more than twenty yards long and ten broad. The west 

 side was bounded by tufous rock, which rose abruptly from 

 the water about five feet high. The top of this rock was 

 level with the surrounding vley, and here all the elephants 

 drank, as if suspicious of treading on the muddy margin on 

 the other three sides of the fountain. I made our shooting- 

 box within six or eight yards of the water, constructing it in 

 a circular form, of bushes packed together so as to form a 

 hedge about three feet high. On the top of the hedge I 

 placed heavy dead old branches of trees, so as to form a fine 

 clear rest for our rifles ; these clean old branches were all 

 lashed firmly together with strips of thorn bark. All being 

 completed, I took the Bakalahari and our steeds to a shady 

 tree, about a quarter of a mile to leeward of the fountain, 

 where we formed a kraall, and off-saddled. This day was 

 particularly adapted to bring game to the water, the sun 



