132 The Life of an Elephant 



with a white light which turned to yellow, then 

 to orange and crimson, and the sun peered 

 above the horizon as if curious to see what had 

 happened in his absence. The men took up 

 the trail in silence ; they were cold and hungry. 

 Towards midday they arrived on the edge of 

 a plain covered with grass which waved high 



above their heads. 

 In the centre of this 

 sea -stood an island 

 raised slightly above 

 the swampy soil, 

 and on this island 

 beneath a low-crowned tree stood the object 

 of their search. Evidently the herd were not 

 far distant, the grass might well conceal many 

 more elephants than those now left in freedom. 

 The men sat down and considered the case. 

 To approach the elephant through the grass 

 without noise was a hopeless task, while from 

 its depths to see, much less to shoot, was 

 impossible. They determined to wait, hoping 

 against hope that the bull would move from 

 his post of vantage on to firmer ground, into 



