SECOND EXPEDITION 



found where elephants had drunk in the night, and, following 

 the spoor, which did not take us very far from the river this 

 time, came at length where it scattered and wound about with 

 signs of feeding. This was encouraging, though the spoor was 

 more difficult to follow now that the herd had spread out, the 

 ground being dry and hard. We, however, stuck to that of one 

 or two bulls, which seemed now to be alone — indeed I fancy 

 had not really been with those we had followed from the river 

 at all. It puzzled us a good deal, as they had sauntered along, 

 making little impression on the baked soil ; but while rather 

 at fault, we heard branches breaking ahead, giving us timely 

 warning of the whereabouts of one at any rate. It was a still, 

 cloudy day, with hardly any wind stirring ; but what there was 

 seemed for the moment right. I advanced, stupidly allowing 

 Squareface to follow — instead of proceeding alone, as was my 

 usual custom on getting so close under similar ticklish conditions 

 — and went in too hurriedly. The noise we made on the dry 

 leaves in the still air alarmed the elephant (a single bull), just 

 as I got the first glimpse of his head towering up among the 

 bushes which concealed the rest of his huge form, and he made 

 off at a run, screened by thick cover from me, giving me no 

 chance for a shot. He ran close past my other gun-bearer, who 

 had stopped a little behind, and he got a good view of him and 

 told me he was a monster. Of course. This was terribly 

 disappointing, and, though we tried afterwards to follow the 

 others, the one that we had scared joined them and made them 

 travel ; and, though we got warm dung several times, we had 

 to give it up in the end, and got back late in the afternoon, 

 tired and defeated, to find my dear little companion gone to 

 where all the elephants and other game one shoots go, I suppose, 

 and where I might follow her any day. How sad and lonely 

 I felt I cannot attempt to express. I had had sorrowful losses 

 before of favourites, both dogs and horses, but this was even 

 sadder and more trying. She had been the companion of my 

 travels for the last eighteen months : never apart were we, day 



