.188 THE ELEPHANT. 



fatigued. " We shall soon be near the elephants," 

 said the strange hunter, "and then we can sit down 

 and watch, them." They marched thus for a -part of 

 the day, when the guide, looking towards a small hill 

 a long way off, announced that a herd of elephants 

 was there feeding. The company took courage, and 

 with new vigour set off on their march. A straight 

 path conducted them very near to the place where the 

 animals were feeding. The guide stopped ; the hunter 

 gave to his companions some lighted torches, and 

 assigned to them the places where they should set fire 

 to the bushes and the grass, in order to insure their 

 retreat if by chance the elephants should show fight. 

 They were browsing in full security, flapping their 

 cheeks with their large ears, and enjoying their pasture 

 with soft indolence. At the moment shots were heard, 

 and an elephant fell, the herd had taken flight ; they 

 ran with the rapidity of which they are capable, upset- 

 ting every obstacle, breaking large trees like young 

 shrubs. The following day they discovered nine or 

 ten. The bushes prevented their being distinctly seen, 

 but they heard them browsing. Guns were fired, and a 

 fearful noise announced the flight of the animals, of 

 which three fell mortally wounded. They were small, 

 the largest not being more than three feet high. Eose 

 made the observation that, considering the frequency of 

 the tracks which they had met with, the country ought 



