362 The Hunting Grounds 



mals, as saliva was still remaining on it. We fol- 

 lowed up the trail for a short distance, in the hopes of 

 obtaining a shot, but could not get a glimpse of them. 

 Towards noon we fell in with the spoor of an ele- 

 phant, that appeared to be about twenty-four hours 

 old, and we continued to track it up until late in the 

 afternoon, when, my companion giving evident signs 

 of fatigue, we made preparations for passing the 

 night, by building a couple of huts close to a small 

 rivulet, which looked clear and sparkling as a trout- 

 stream in Scotland. It was a beautiful spot for a 

 camp, as on all sides rose hills covered with dense 

 deep-green forest, intersected with innumerable moun- 

 tain-streams, which emerged from the trees and 

 glistened like silver threads in the light of the set- 

 ting sun. 



Our day's fag told upon us ; for within half an hour 

 after our dinner we were all coiled up in our blankets 

 fast asleep, and did not stir until Googooloo informed 

 us that dawn was breaking, when, giving ourselves a 

 shake, we adjourned to the brook to perform our 

 ablutions whilst breakfast was preparing. This 

 finished, we again started on trail ; and, as we were 

 following up the spoor of the day before, I found 

 unmistakeable signs that a herd of elephants had 

 passed by within a very short time. We immediately 

 followed up at our best pace, and in a couple of hours 

 fell in with the rear guard, consisting of three females, 



