OF THE OLD WORLD. 243 



bank of the river Bowanl, and after a few hours' 

 repose, started for the place where the elephants 

 were said to be, just as the first streaks of gray in 

 the east proclaimed the dawn of day ; and after a 

 tramp of about twelve miles, some part of the way 

 through very dense jungle, we arrived at the huts 

 of a Mulcher tribe, where I left my horse and 

 baggage-pony under the care of the horse-keeper. 

 They could hardly make their way through the 

 bush. 



The Mulchers gave us to understand that the 

 herd could not be at any gr-at distance, as some of 

 their tribe had seen them the evening before, in a 

 valley close to the foot of the hills, and they had 

 been heard trumpeting during the night. 



"We rested for an hour, and broke our fast by the 

 side of a beautiful little stream, which we followed 

 for some distance, when the Mulcher who served as 

 our guide pointed out to us the spoor of an elephant 

 about three days old, and shortly afterwards we 

 came upon the trail of a herd of eight, which I 

 made out to be about twenty-four hours old. 



It was now noon, and the rays of the sun were 

 intensely hot, so we sat down for an hour under a 

 tree, whilst the Gooroo and the Mulcher went to 

 consult with some of the tribe, whom he had left 

 watching the movements of the herd. They re- 

 turned shortly, accompanied by two other Mulchers, 

 who informed us that they had seen a herd, con- 

 sisting of a tusker, eight females, and some young 



