XV RETLTRX TO LAKE RUDOLPH 359 



screen our approach, quite enough to obviate any risk of our 

 being seen at that distance by such short-sighted creatures. 

 I had never before, during all my elephant-hunting in Central 

 Africa, seen any in such open ground ; and it was the first 

 occasion in my experience when a horse might have been 

 used. The elephants were now standing still, nearly in a row, 

 one behind the other, but at right angles to us. I surveyed 

 them through my glasses. The three bulls were all big 

 fellows, with fine tusks. Those of the first were long and 

 white ; the second, which had a very old look about the face, 

 seemed to have even longer tusks, though not so white ; the 

 third was the cow, with insignificant ivory ; while the fourth's 

 teeth appeared the thickest of all, though shorter than the 

 others. 



The ground between us and them was so open and devoid 

 of anything to cover one's approach, beyond a few very scragg)-, 

 thin, and low bits of stunted bushes, that I thought we could 

 not get within easy killing range, and hoped they would move 

 on to more favourable ground. But as, after waiting some 

 time, they still remained stationary, I decided to try and get 

 near, lest the wind should fail or change ; for the weather 

 looked unsettled. Taking advantage of a slight hollow, and 

 crouching low, I succeeded, by using the greatest caution, in 

 reaching successfully a little screen of bare, semi-transparent 

 sprays, whence nearer approach seemed impossible unobserved. 

 What I could see now of the tusks of the second bull increased 

 my ambition to possess them. Partly veiled though they were 

 by a thin shrub just in front of them, I could trace the outline 

 of the one nearest me, and it seemed to reach the ground ! 

 But after trying to get a good aim from this point I felt 

 dissatisfied, not wishing to wound and lose, so crawled on 

 hands and knees, in spite of tiny thorns innumerable, to 

 within perhaps fifty yards. Thence I got a good view ; and, 

 having still avoided detection by keeping close to the ground, 

 while availing myself as much as possible of such sticks and 



