SPLENDID SPORT. 31 



spoor, and were enabled to follow at a rapid pace, tho 

 native who led the spooring party being the best track- 

 er in Bamangwato. I had presently very great satis- 

 faction to perceive that the elephants had not been 

 alarmed, their course being strewed with branches which 

 they had chewed as they slowly fed along. The track- 

 ers now became extremely excited, and strained their 

 eyes on every side in the momentary expectation of 

 beholding the elephants. At length we emerged into 

 an open glade, and, clearing a grove of thorny mimosas, 

 we came full in sight of one of them. Cautiously ad- 

 vancing, and looking to my right, I next discovered his 

 comrade, standing in a thicket of low wait-a-bits, with 

 in a hundred and fifty yards of me ; they were both first- 

 rate old bulls, with enormous tusks of great length. I 

 dismounted, and warily approached the second elephant 

 for a closer inspection of his tusks. As I drew near he 

 slightly turned his head, and I then perceived that his 

 further one was damaged toward the point, while at 

 the same instant his comrade, raising his head clear of 

 the bush on which he browsed, displayed to my delight- 

 ed eyes a pair of the most beautiful and perfect tusks 

 I had ever seen. 



Regaining my horse, I advanced toward this ele- 

 phant, and when within forty yards of him he walked 

 slowly on before me in an open space, his huge ears 

 gently flapping, and entirely concealing me from his 

 view. Inclining to the left, I slightly increased my 

 pace, and walked past him within sixty yards, upon 

 which he observed me for the first time; but probably 

 mistaking " Sunday" for a hartebeest, he continued his 

 course with his eye upon me, but showed no symptoms 

 of alarm. The natives had requested me to endeavor, 

 if possible, to hunt him toward the water, which Jay in 



