36 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
in the same way a little to the left of the bull. 
Lunch finished, the plan of campaign was ar- 
ranged. Always "up wind" (i.e., the wind blow- 
ing from the- quarry to hunter) we began our des- 
cent. Nothing but sense of direction (an abso- 
lute essential to anyone going out into open tracts 
of country) to guide us to the elephants. About 
two hours later we were nearing the danger zone. 
Up into a tree, and a cautious look round showed 
we were within 150 yards of the monsters. And 
then in absolute silence, avoiding even the snap- 
ping of a twig, as far as possible, we tiptoed 
nearer and nearer, listening every five or ten 
yards lor the peculiar rumbling' which goes on 
in an elephant's stomach. At last we heard it, 
the gentle crack of some small branch, and we 
knew that if only the trees could be moved we 
would see the animal at least within 30 yards of 
where we were standing. The boys carrying the 
camera and gear were quietly motioned to stand 
fast where the} - were, and we moved forward. 
Not a sound was heard save the rumble, rumble 
of the stomachs of the elephants. Nearer and 
nearer we moved, every sense strained to> catch 
the least sound foreign to the natural breathing of 
the jungle, our eyes endeavouring to pierce the 
foliage, for it is quite a natural thing" to stand 
within a few feet of what one is looking for with- 
out seeing it, so well has Nature endowed the wild 
animals with colour protection. On we went, and 
no doubt had covered some seven to ten yards, 
for the pace at which one moves is somewhere in 
the region of one foot per minute, and we were 
not out to shoot. This was merely a preliminary 
skirmish to endeavour to see the animal in order 
to get the camera fixed in the necessary position 
to take the photograph. Without any warning, 
there was a sudden rending and crashing of 
branches, a few heavy thuds on the earth, the 
safety-catch of the double-barrelled 12-bore Para- 
dox which I was carrying slipped to fire, and 
then as suddenly as the noise of the rush had 
broken out it stopped, and there was not a sound. 
We looked at each other. The elephants scenting 
danger, had charged up wind as well, and drawn 
away from us. Moving as fast as Ave were able, 
we went after them, keeping, as we were forced 
by the direction of the wind to the right, and then 
turning in the form of a big horseshoe to the 
left, we were very surprised that Ave crossed no 
spoor of the elephants. 
Wondering what had happened, we stood and 
held council, and decided to call the boys up. 
Several loud, shrill whistles soon guided them to 
us, and, imagine our disgust when, on their, com- 
ing up, they informed us that the elephant had 
passed quite close to them and were actually seen. 
The cunning animals had moved in a parallel 
course to ours on the inside, and that explained 
why we had not crossed their tracks. Our luck 
was out, for the afternoon was drawing on. We 
Avere still miles from our camp at the Water-hole, 
and could therefore not go after the quarry. 
It was not until the eighth day from this little 
incident that Ave finally found our luck. Elephants 
Ave had seen, too far off for any good work to be 
done, in troops of ten to fifteen, moving with 
that peculiar shuffling gait Avhich enables them 
to cover such long distances Avithout fatigue or 
pause. Their food is twisted from the shrubs as 
they move along, their trunks on a never-ending 
foraging movement while feeding, or hanging 
loosely with the end curled slightly up when mov- 
ing away from danger. 
Contrary to the natural idea of the movement 
of these animals, no doubt it will be a surprise to 
ma/ny to learn that they move just like 'grey 
ghosts. The nearer the danger the quieter they 
fade away. It is with them, as it is with most 
of the larger game, a matter of danger only when 
they are wounded or when the unwary hunter 
comes upon a herd amongst which are newly-born 
calves. There is no more dangerous signpost or 
clearer warning board than the sight of a small, 
almost round impression on the trail folloAving a 
similar impression on a very much larger scale. 
The spoor of an elephant may be likened to' a 
round pat of butter in warm Aveather which has 
had the smooth side of a butterpat placed firmly 
on it and suddenly withdraAvn. The whole sur- 
face is distorted into little ridges running here, 
there, and everyAvhere. 
Our camp had been moved three times, and 
our last day had come. Up early as usual, we had 
breakfast (a piece of bread and a cup of* cocoa), 
and away for a last attempt to film the big beasts. 
A strong wind was blowing, and we had, of 
course, to work to it. Mile after mile Ave covered, 
and in despair, and with many regrets, we reluct- 
antly turned towards camp, deciding that our 
luck wasi gone. We moved into a disused path 
Avhich was broader than others, and, trudging 
wearily back (disappointment being the chief 
factor of our weariness), Ave were speaking bribes 
to the wind, offering any elephant- who would 
come within range and be photographed the most 
tempting feeds of lucerne and green barley, and 
alternately saying some rather hard things about 
our own luck and the lack of enterprise on the 
part of the African Elephant. And then we were 
as though struck into statues (Ave had fortunately 
been moving; with the wind blowing across us). 
There, some 150 yards from us, as Ave turned the 
bend of the road, stood a tremendous bull ele- 
phant. From his appearance (and this was sub- 
sequently confirmed), he was unmistakably a rogue 
elephant. An immediate signal to the boys and 
they stopped dead in their tracks. We quietly 
sank on our knees and drew back into the bush. 
Out came the camera and was fixed in record time 
