ELEPHANTS 155 



Thankfully we ordered lunch to be ready in half-an- 

 hour, each meanwhile retiring to his tent for a warm 

 bath and change. But during that half-hour the crisis 

 arrived. Within ten minutes, an excited black head 

 had pushed itself through the flap of my tent, 

 exclaiming those magic words — " Tembo ! tembo ! ! " 

 (elephants). 



Then from our tent-doors we saw a memorable 

 spectacle — across that hill-girt plain beyond, hard by 

 the gleaming marsh, and not 800 yards away, marched 

 a column of forty elephants. 



Hastily we pulled on again the soaking raiment, and 

 within a few minutes were away. The elephants slowly 

 filed across the mouth of our valley ; then, wheeling 

 towards us, advanced straight up its centre. AVithin ten 

 minutes we were only separated from them by the width 

 of a marsh, 200 yards across, which, overgrown with 

 rank green flags, ran down the centre of the strath. 

 Both my men proved so excitable that I pulled them 

 down and placed Ali Yama in sole charge. He was cool- 

 ness itself, and made a masterly approach. We presently 

 took cover behind a single low bush from the middle of 

 which grew a mimosa-thorn, and some fifty yards from 

 the green flags. A steady breeze blew from the vlei 

 straight up the valley, and remained unchanged through- 

 out the entire operation. 



Upon arriving exactly opposite this point where we 

 lay watching them, the column of elephants came to a 

 halt, and for several minutes stood there, evidently in 

 consultation — it hardly seems an exaggeration to say in 

 " conversation." Then they resumed their course, hold- 

 ing up the valley ; while we followed, keeping level with 

 them, on our side the marsh. Presently they halted 

 again, and, after further conversation, apparently 

 decided that the former spot was, after all, the more 

 favourable to efli"ect their passage of the marsh ; for, 

 wheeling on their tracks, they marched back thither in 

 column, and presently, with great deliberation, com- 

 menced to cross to our side. We had meanwhile, for 



