: 4 8 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



through such tracts ; in some places the air full of the 

 spores or irritating spicules blown or shaken from the 

 seed vessels of withered vegetation ; your shirt and 

 trousers soaked with perspiration ; arms, face, and 

 neck baked in the torrid glare, and not a mouthful of 

 water to slake the terrible thirst induced by such 

 circumstances ! The picture is not an inviting one, 

 and yet the trying ordeal of thirst is one frequently 

 suffered in greater or less degree by the elephant 

 hunter and his men. 



The dry season of 1909 was an exceptional one, 

 adding to my experiences one that I shall not 

 readily forget, and the narration of it may conjure 

 up more fully before the reader's imagination the 

 picture I should like to convey. 



Shortly after leaving camp, we came upon the 

 fresh spoor of four elephants and followed it, but 

 our quarry, winding us as we drew near, made off 

 at top speed to a country in which there were only 

 two or three water-holes, scattered at wide intervals 

 in absolutely trackless forest. Under the circum- 

 stances, I called a halt about 9 a.m., and instructed 

 my carriers to make for a water-hole some nine 

 miles distant, and await us there. At about 

 1 1 o'clock, after two hours' steady spooring across 

 peculiarly trying country, I got my boy to empty 

 one of my water-bottles and make tea for me, while 

 the contents of the remaining bottles I gave my 



