STAMPEDE OF A HERD 317 



have turned the animal loose, after hitching up the stirrups 

 and bridle in such a way as to prevent their becoming detached, 

 and found the animal on my return quite safe in camp. But 

 I am afraid I am digressing. 



On arriving at the place where the elephant had passed, 

 I saw that the tracks were enormous, the tape-measure 

 showing a diameter of 21 inches. My trackers were very 

 doubtful as to whether the animal possessed tusks or not, 

 although there were occasionally distinct toe impressions 

 which, from the theory already aired by me in a previous 

 chapter, pointed to the presence of tusks. 



The tracks led through some open, undulating, bamboo 

 country for about two miles, and then entered a dense patch 

 of jungle consisting of bamboo, bush undergrowth, and the 

 forest. Here the tracks became mixed up with those of a 

 herd of elephants which the solitaire had apparently joined. 



I dismounted, and with my trackers made various detours 

 and reconnaissances, in the hope of being able to see the 

 monster. Various rumblings, squeakings, and an occasional 

 flap, flap of an ear suddenly made us aware that we were 

 in close proximity to the herd, which was apparently resting 

 during the heat of the day. After making several circuits 

 round the patch in which the elephants were, we took up our 

 stand under the shade of some trees distant some 200 yards 

 from the elephants, intending to wait till evening, when the 

 animals would leave the dense cover to feed. 



After the lapse of about an hour and a half we were 

 suddenly startled by hearing the elephants apparently charg- 

 ing in a body at a great pace through the dense undergrowth 

 in our direction. The noise was terrific, and sounded as if a 

 tornado had suddenly sprung up to the accompaniment of a 

 sharp musketry fire. My pony, usually a very quiet beast, 

 accustomed to all sorts of noises, and even standing alongside 

 of an elephant, snorted and trembled with alarm. My men, 

 who had been dozing on the ground, leapt to their feet. 

 Screaming jungle fowl, pheasants, barking deer, and chattering 

 monkeys, all thoroughly alarmed, flew or ran past us at a 

 great pace. Moung Hpe, jumping excitedly to his feet, 

 said : " Get ready, sir ; the elephants, while wandering about on 



