184 MORE OF THEM. 



way to Pietermaritzburg ?" Feeling very angry at being 

 thus disturbed, I told them to listen to the elephants which 

 were getting ready to charge ; they stopped for an instant, 

 when, hearing the snapping of the branches caused by the 

 elephants' retreat, which was still audible, they muttered 

 an oath in Dutch, turned their horses round, and dashed 

 down the road, too late, however, for my satisfaction, 

 as they had effectually spoiled my chance of a shot in 

 the open. 



These men must have been heard by the elephants 

 when nearly half a mile distant, and fully five minutes 

 before I could note the slightest sound of their approach. 



I had been to lunch on wild honey one morning in 

 the Berea with my Kaffir Inyovu, when he suddenly 

 called my attention to the sound of a broken branch 

 at some distance : we both knew that the noise was 

 caused by elephants. I wiped my honeyed hands and 

 walked through the forest ; we shortly came on the fresh 

 spoor of some cow-elephants, which were attended by 

 their calves. The traces were very recent, as some 

 branches and grass that the animals had placed their feet 

 upon, had not yet ceased springing up to regain the 

 original position. 



There was very little wind blowing, but what there was 

 unfortunately blew from us to the position which the ele- 

 phants occupied. There was no help for it, so I determined 

 to approach them under these unfavourable conditions. 

 About fifty yards from where I guessed the elephants were 

 standing, the underwood was very thick. I pushed on care- 

 fully and quietly, but soon found that these sagacious 



