AFRICA. 257 
Wken we had amiifcJ oitrfelves for feme 
time in firing at a mark, I thought it would be 
{)rudent to employ my powder in a more ufe-» 
ful manner. As it was for the putpofe df hunt- 
ing elephants that I had crofied the river, at . 
the hazard of my own hfe, and the lives of my 
four companions, I refolved to go in purfuit of 
thele animals. With this view, accompanied " 
by my three hunters, I ranged about and 
fcoured the whole country ; but we faw neither 
dung n(jr traces, which made me fincerely re- 
gret that I had fubjedtd myfelf in vain to fd 
much fatigue, and expofed myfelf ufelefsly to 
fo many dangers. It is probable, as I have al- 
ready faid, that the elephants fre(|uented th^ 
righj: bank of the river j but when obhged by 
the drought to change their tefidence, inftead 
t>f croffing to the left bank, where they would 
have found an equal fcarcity of food, they had 
retired farther iato the interior part of the de-* 
ferts towards the north. 
The feverity of the cold had prevented us 
from fleeping the preceding night, and we 
were again equally unfortunate. A Violent 
rain which came on continually extinguiihed 
our fires ; nor w<ls it poffible for us to re-kindle 
Vol. L S thera. 
