148 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



night quite close {too close, in fact) to camp. I followed until 

 noon, but they had never fed nor even halted, and from the 

 way they had meandered about in the night I felt sure they 

 had scented our camp and were scared, so at last I had to give 

 it up and return, getting back to camp during the afternoon, 

 tired and disappointed, but feeling I had done all I could. It 

 was vejy hot ; and following the traces of travelling elephants, 

 hour after hour, through the dry, monotonous, thorny scrub, is 

 weary work, especially when one seems to get no nearer to the 

 game. The bush is not so dense as to be very difficult to get 

 through, in most parts, but it is thick enough to make it a 

 continual struggle and to shut out all view ; so that, with no 

 encouragement to lead one on, it becomes extremely tiresome 

 work. The only game I had seen the whole day was a couple 

 of waterbuck, just after starting in the morning, at which, how- 

 ever, I did not get a shot. 



I found by observations that the river, though still far too 

 full to think of getting across for some time, was gradually 

 falling, and hoped that, if this kept on, it might by and by 

 become passable. 



" Frolic " had become very bad, and was evidently suffering 

 much pain. I felt anxious and depressed, and not very well ; 

 and, having sent most of my men back to fetch more loads, I 

 stayed about camp the next two days, doing all I could for the 

 relief of my little favourite. She became rapidly worse, how- 

 ever, and by the third day from being hurt she could no longer 

 move, seeming paralysed, the vertebrae being probably injured, 

 and could hardly even drink. The next day I felt sure that 

 she was dying. I had now to pour water into the corner of 

 her mouth to enable her to drink a little. As, however, I 

 could do no good by remaining in camp and it was most dis- 

 tressing to me to see her, I went out to look for elephant spoor, 

 starting as soon as there was a little light. 



On the way down the river I shot a hippo, but as usual it 

 was carried away by the water. Some distance farther we 



