WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



of bull elephants were feeding a little way off. I 

 decided to go and see for myself; so, following the native 

 closely, I came to a small open space, where two huge 

 tuskers were very busy over their breakfast. Though 

 not actually scared, they were distinctly on the alert. 

 Obviously they had heard or smelt something unusual, 

 for they would suddenly stop pulling down the branches 

 and stand perfectly still, listening, or would hold out 

 their trunks as if to catch any scent. 



One look sufficed to tell me that the light was not 

 nearly good enough for the purpose of a photograph, 

 so I quietly crept back. It would have been far from 

 pleasant to have been caught in that place, as there 

 were only bamboos that I could have climbed, and 

 the great animals would quickly have had me down. 

 The native carriers suggested that I should get up a 

 convenient tree with my camera, and that then they 

 themselves would go back and disturb the elephants ; 

 then in all probability the animals would chase them 

 past my hiding-place, and I should secure some 

 pictures. Though I admired their pluck immensely — 

 the proposal was made in the most matter-of-fact way — 

 I did not feel justified in letting them run so great a 

 risk, as a stumble or a false step meant certain death. 

 The only thing to do was to mount my elephant again, 

 and trust to luck for an opportunity to take a picture. 

 The elephant was told to go quietly forward, and so 

 perfectly did she understand, that she managed to 



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