we 
MSUATA. 187 
rustling of leaves. Faraji pulls me by the sleeve and 
whispers, “'Tembo, bwana, tembo.” Then in the direction 
in which he points I see through the stems and the creeper- 
stalks a grey mass. It is an elephant, who, whether he 
hears us or no, calmly goes on feeding. We somewhat 
tremblingly continue on our road amid the noise of creak- 
ing, breaking boughs and swishing leaves, quite resolved 
to leave the elephant alone; for of what avail would my 
little bird-gun be against his hide or bony skull? Here 
the path becomes pitted with great round water-holes 
where the elephant’s feet have sunk into the soft soil and 
the rain has filled the depressions. Already these pools of a 
day swarm with life. Little striped toads squat on their 
margins, myriads of glancing water-beetles and water- 
spiders skim the surface, and in the muddy depths there 
seem to be many wriggling indefinite creatures. Another 
warning pull from Faraji. I look up above my head and 
see a dark blot in the maze of twigs. It is some big bird, 
so I fire my little “collector’s” gun and down it comes 
with many a flop and a temporary stoppage in the forks of 
branches, until it falls an inanimate lump in the herbage 
at my feet. It is a great prize—the beautiful Blue 
Plantain-eater,* a bird remarkable for lovely plumage 
and high comestible qualities. Following the report of 
the gun, is a momentary panic among the denizens of the 
woods. The elephant is heard retreating through the 
forest alleys, many birds call loudly and indignantly from 
their unseen posts of vantage—the fishing-eagles giving 
vent to almost hysterical screams and the cuckoos cynically 
laughine—and for a while the spell of peace is rudely 
broken. But crimesare soon buried and forgotten in the 
forest, and everything after the momentary pause of sur- 
prised attention goes on feeding, fighting, or making love. 
Slowly we traverse this belt of woodland until we have 
crossed the little peninsula that divides us from our 
landing place. Now we emerge quietly on a tiny bay or 
sound between two promontories that end in a green, 
grassy headland. Here is a study to make which repeats 
* Schizorhis gigantea; for illustration of head and crest, see 
chapter xiv, . 
