THE ROYAL ELEPHANT HUNT AT THE KOTSNA. 197 



was the night before, so those who had to rough it in 

 the open air managed to get some repose. The camp, 

 as usual, was astir at peep of day next morning, and 

 the scouts and hunters made a start to look for the 

 elephants that had been wounded the day before, but 

 the Duke did not join their party. He kept about the 

 camp, merely going a short distance alone with a light 

 gun to get a shot at small birds. The others who did 

 not accompany the hunters amused themselves as they 

 best could. The Governor wrote letters, Mr. Brierly 

 made some sketches, and the officers of the Petrel 

 (with the exception of Captain Gordon, who had gone 

 after the elephants) took their guns and crossed to the 

 opposite hill to try and shoot bucks ; but on the 

 whole, some of us that day found it rather slow work. 

 In the evening the scouts and hunters returned 

 without having seen anything of the elephants, and 

 therefore the Duke, whose time was limited, as he had 

 arranged to leave the Knysna on Saturday, determined 

 to return to Middle Erf in the morning, and make 

 another attempt to shoot the old bull. That night thero 

 was no rain, but we had a repetition of a strong, cold, 

 and biting blast, only it was from another quarter ; 

 and, indeed, Build's Nek is so elevated and exposed to 

 the west and east that I much doubt whether it would 

 be possible to find any night in the year there without 

 the same annoyance. The next morning there was a 



