THE ELEPHANT 53 



footprints of a number of these animals which 

 had passed through the cultivation the preceding 

 night. I thereupon resolved to endeavour to 

 bag one the following day. 



Starting away from the settlement while it 

 was still starhght, accompanied by several native 

 trackers possessed of local knowledge, one of 

 whom was attired in quite a fashionable frock 

 coat, we quickly struck the fresh spoor of five 

 bulls. After leading through the outskirts of 

 the gardens for some distance the foot-prints 

 entered the jungle and led towards the densely 

 forested promontory immediately to the south of 

 Makanjira's old stronghold. It was here quite 

 apparent, from the vast quantity of various 

 indications, that many elephants frequented the 

 neighbourhood, and after a very easy piece of 

 tracking, whilst we were intent upon examining a 

 piece of freshly chewed bark, a slight swishing 

 noise attracted our attention a Uttle to the left 

 of our line of advance, when suddenly the leafy 

 forest screen parted and, at a distance of 30 or 

 ■iO yards, a large elephant followed by several 

 others advanced directly towards us. He was a 

 fine beast, of great height, and from his lips there 

 projected two beautifxd even tusks of yellow ivory, 

 possibly weighing sixty pounds apiece. I saw in a 

 flash that he had not detected our presence, and, 

 as we crouched down in the covering brushwood, 

 I determined to wait until he should pass and 

 endeavour to secvire him with a temple shot. 



But I had reckoned without the wind. 

 Scarcely had this plan of attack suggested itself 

 5 



