550 . WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
All this is plain sailing, and something we common mor 
tals can comprehend, foreign and unusual as its picturings 
and details are; but it is nothing comparatively with what 
Mr. Cummings has to tell of different modes of hunting the 
elephant, as practised by himself higher up in the extraordi- 
nary valley of the Limpopo. Hear him for his story— 
On the 17th of September I resolved to leave the fountain 
of Seboono, as it was much disturbed, and to proceed with 
a few Bakalahari to a small yet famous water about six miles 
to the south-east. We accordingly saddled up and held 
thither. On reaching this fountain, which is called by the 
natives “ Paapaa,” I found the numerous foot-paths leading 
to it covered, as I had anticipated, with fresh spoor of 
elephant and rhinoceros. I then at once proceeded to study 
the best spot on which to make our shooting-hole for the 
night. It would be impossible to prevent some of the game 
from getting our wind, for the foot-paths led to it from every 
side. The prevailing wind was from the east, so I pitched 
upon the south-west corner of the fountain. The water was 
not more than twenty yards long and ten broad. The west 
side was bounded by tufous rock, which rose abruptly from 
the water about five feet high. The top of this rock was 
level with the surrounding vley, and here all the elephants 
drank, as if suspicious of treading on the muddy margin on 
the other three sides of the fountain. J made our shooting- 
box within six or eight yards of the water, constructing it in 
a circular form, of bushes packed together so as to form a 
hedge about three feet high. On the top of the hedge I 
placed heavy dead old branches of trees, so as to form a fine 
clear rest for our rifles; these clean old branches were all 
lashed firmly together with strips of thorn bark. All being 
completed, I took the Bakalahari and our steeds to a shady 
tree, about a quarter of a mile to leeward of the fountain, 
where we formed a kraall, and off-saddled. This day was 
particularly adapted to bring game to the water, the sun 
