44 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



the bush, our clothes, soaked with the heavy dew 

 that distils on the long grass and vegetation during 

 the cool of an African night, clung uncomfortably 

 to our limbs, and it was with a feeling akin to joy 

 that we greeted the sunrise with its cheering 

 warmth. 



In the forenoon, we came across the spoor of 

 a herd of elephants and after an exciting chase 

 managed to bag two of them, but the natives of 

 Iperie's village, some of whom had accompanied 

 me, were emphatic in their declaration that neither 

 of these animals was Kom-Kom. Lunch came 

 as a welcome relief to the toil of the chase, and, 

 having rested awhile, we set out for the 

 Lerongie jungle to see if we could come in touch 

 with the Mighty One. Passing through Nagoro- 

 menia's Kraal on our way, we reached Iperie's 

 village and there learned that Kom-Kom had 

 visited the natives' matama gardens on the previous 

 night and had committed havoc among the crops. 

 The owners of the shambas were in great distress 

 over the loss, so we decided to pass the night in 

 their village in the hope that the elusive marauder 

 would revisit this convenient feeding ground under 

 cover of darkness and leave us a fresh spoor by 

 which to track him down on the morrow. The 

 night, however, passed uneventfully ; not a sound 

 came from the shambas to indicate the presence 



