AN AFRICAN E L E PH AN T- H U N T 



Eventually the natives climbed up a large palm on the border 

 of one of these swamps, and as they immediately became greatly 

 excited, I followed them to the tree- top, where I was surprised to 

 see the backs of three elephants above the grass three hundred 

 yards ahead of us. 



The ones that were visible were a bull, cow, and calf, all 

 motionless except as to their enormous ears, which were con- 

 tinually flapping to and fro. Occasionally a trunk was lifted 

 above the grass and cautiously scented the air for danger. We 

 discovered later that there were six more elephants at this time 

 in the herd, lying down and invisible in the tall grass. The 

 natives reluctantly started to lead the way through the matted 

 jungle to the game, but I soon realized that they were on the 

 verge of panic, and when we eventually found ourselves back 

 under the identical tree from which we had started, I realized 

 that I could not depend upon these people. When the royalties 

 present ascended the palm again they became much more 

 excited, and absolutely refused to come down. Climbing a 

 smaller tree near by, I discovered an explanation in the fact that 

 the elephants had increased in number to nine, and were stand- 

 ing side by side in a line facing both directions, and evidently 

 suspicious of danger. I started again through the grass for 

 them, followed by my gun-bearer and porter, but the latter, not 

 being armed, wisely decided that discretion was the better part 

 of valor, and silently vanished after the first twenty yards. By 

 occasionally standing on Faki's shoulders to see over the top 

 of the grass, I was able to keep the direction of the game, and, 

 with a favorable wind, succeeded in approaching to within 

 thirty or' forty yards of the nearest elephant. At this distance 

 I could plainly hear the interior rumblings of these great beasts, 

 the flapping of ears, and the swish of trunks in the dried grass, 

 but a solid wall of vegetation prevented my approaching closer 

 without alarming the game. 



I manoeuvred around cautiously for half an hour, and then, 



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