ELEPHANT HUNTING. 263 



came up with them about an hour before sundown, in 

 company with a noble troop of about fifteen other bull 

 elephants, and, the wind being favorable, they were not 

 aware of our approach. While riding slowly round 

 them on the lee side, endeavoring to select the best 

 bull, a splendid old fellow broke across from my right, 

 wliose ivory far surpassed any other in the herd. To 

 him I accordingly adhered, and laid him low after an 

 easy battle, having only given him five shots. I re- 

 ceived no assistance from my dogs, they, as is often the 

 case, having packed upon the worst elephant in the 

 troop. The tusks of this huge elephant being unusual- 

 ly perfect, I resolved to preserve the entire skull. I ac- 

 cordingly sent a messenger to camp to instruct my peo- 

 ple to bring a wagon for the head, while I stood sentry 

 over it. Three days passed before the wagon appeared, 

 h&ving had to cross the Limpopo at a ford many miles 

 above my camp. I occupied myself in the mean time 

 in preparing the feet of the elephant, which I preserved. 



In a few days we reached the fountain of Seboono, 

 at which I watched for several nights, and slew some 

 fine old elephants with splendid tusks. I hunted, as 

 during last season, by moonlight with dogs, and by the 

 24th of August had the satisfaction of making up my 

 bag to a hundred and five select elephants killed ih 

 South Africa. We now found the district to be much 

 deserted by the elephants, and accordingly inspanned 

 the wagons on the 3d of September, and marched down 

 the Limpopo toward the district frequented by hippo- 

 potami. 



On the 4th I rode up the river to shoot hippopotami, 

 Of these I found three troops, and bagged one first-rate 

 bull and wounded others. I saw several crocodiles of 

 unusual vastness. Some of them must have been six- 



