66 ELEPHANT-HUNTING. 



stars shone in brightness and in beauty in a dark 

 blue sky; I listened, and at times caught wild, 

 remote sounds — the nameless sounds of night. Who 

 that has passed a night in savage solitudes has not 

 felt how distinct its sounds are from those of day — 

 has not discovered a voice and a language in the 

 night- wind as it moaned by, different from the rush 

 of any wind on which the sun ever shone — like spirit- 

 warnings from the past ? I listened, and could ima- 

 gine in the distant booming hollow noises, that hun- 

 dreds of elephants were crossing the hills ; and again 

 all was still as death : then would come the wild 

 melancholy howl of the wolf, and its short whoop, 

 the next nearer than the first ; then, by sending a 

 brighter flame from the fire, all would again be 

 hushed ; and then the stillness was interrupted by 

 the croak of the night-raven, as it sailed down the 

 ravine, catching the scent of the dead elephant ; — 

 that ceased, and I heaped more dry wood upon the 

 fire, until it threw up its bright flames, gleaming 

 with an indistinct and lurid light on the surrounding 

 bushes. Then came a strange noise, as of some 

 animal that was approaching us ; it came nearer, 

 and roused my companion, who said it was the hyeena 

 with its hideous laugh and chatter — the most wild, 

 unnatural sound that breaks the silence of night in 

 those tremendous solitudes.' ' 



At daybreak Thackwray went in search of our 

 horses, whilst I remained in the enjoyment of a quiet 



