i; 2 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



was protected by a light fencing to keep out 

 the cattle. The hunters spent over a week in this 

 unsavoury spot amid the intolerable smell of the 

 buffaloes and plagued by myriads of insects. On 

 the last night of this vigil, towards midnight, the 

 buffaloes manifested signs of uneasiness. They 

 thronged close up against the side of the kraal 

 furthest from that in which the wind was blow- 

 ing and, with faces turned windward, seemed 

 to scent something unusual. The night was pitchy 

 dark so that it was impossible to see anything 

 beyond a dozen paces. Now the cattle came rush- 

 ing to the centre of the kraal and against the light 

 fencing, as if to seek the protection of their human 

 fellows. It appeared as if an opportunity was at 

 last going to offer and the hunters were all alert ; 

 but no ! the excitement passed off and after a 

 time the cattle returned to their usual positions of 

 repose. The morning showed the tracks of the 

 elephant clearly all round the kraal, but it had not 

 made the slightest attempt to break in. It must 

 have scented its human foes, and made off noise- 

 lessly. It was seen therefore that this plan would 

 not answer, so something fresh had to be devised. 

 There was not the slightest use attempting to 

 track the brute for it appeared to be ever on the 

 move, and so cunning had it become that when 

 feeding it would make a detour and take up a 

 position from which it could see its own tracks ; 

 its hearing and scent also were so acute that it 

 generally detected its pursuers before they saw it, 

 and while they were plodding their way straight 



