198 THE ELEPHANT. 



new arrival in' the camp, who had ridden through from 

 the Knysna during the night to inform the Duke that 

 some of the scouts had seen the elephants the previous 

 evening on the edge of a detached piece of forest, 

 which is situated on Middle Erf. This news confirmed 

 the Duke in his determination to leave Buffel's Nek, 

 and it was therefore yet very early when word was 

 passed along to saddle up and mount. Prior to start- 

 ing we had nothing but coffee, for we expected to make 

 a halt at the other side of the forest, and have some- 

 thing to eat on the same spot where we had previously 

 breakfasted. . That hope, however, we were not 

 destined to realize, for we were still a couple of miles 

 from where we proposed to saddle off, when a scout 

 came galloping up to let the Duke know that it was 

 hardly an hour since he had seen the elephants at 

 Middle Erf. Of course there was then an end of all 

 thoughts of breakfast, necessary though it was for 

 who would delay for such a purpose with, it might be 

 said, the game in view ? On, therefore, we dashed ; 

 but, prior to entering on the final act of the drama, 

 permit me to say a few words descriptive of the site 

 of the Duke's exploit. Middle Erf forest, then, 

 which will be famous in the annals of the Kriysna for 

 all time to come, crowns the summit of a gentle hill, 

 within two hundred yards of the public road leading to 

 Plettenberg's Bay. It is not more than a mile in 



