148 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
night quite close (too close, in fact) to camp. I followed until 
noon, but they had never fed nor even halted, and from the 
way they had meandered about in the night I felt sure they 
had scented our camp and were scared, so at last I had to give 
it up and return, getting back to camp during the afternoon, 
tired and disappointed, but feeling I had done all I could. It 
was very hot ; and following the traces of travelling elephants, 
hour after hour, through the dry, monotonous, thorny scrub, is 
weary work, especially when one seems to get no nearer to the 
game. The bush is not so dense as to be very difficult to get 
through, in most parts, but it is thick enough to make it a 
continual struggle and to shut out all view ; so that, with no 
encouragement to lead one on, it becomes extremely tiresome 
work. The only game I had seen the whole day was a couple 
of waterbuck, just after starting in the morning, at which, how¬ 
ever, I did not get a shot. 
I found by observations that the river, though still far too 
full to think of getting across for some time, was gradually 
falling, and hoped that, if this kept on, it might by and by 
become passable. 
“ Frolic ” had become very bad, and was evidently suffering 
much pain. I felt anxious and depressed, and not very well; 
and, having sent most of my men back to fetch more loads, I 
stayed about camp the next two days, doing all I could for the 
relief of my little favourite. She became rapidly worse, how¬ 
ever, and by the third day from being hurt she could no longer 
move, seeming paralysed, the vertebrae being probably injured, 
and could hardly even drink. The next day I felt sure that 
she was dying. I had now to pour water into the corner of 
her mouth to enable her to drink a little. As, however, I 
could do no good by remaining in camp and it was most dis¬ 
tressing to me to see her, I went out to look for elephant spoor, 
starting as soon as there was a little light. 
On the way down the river I shot a hippo, but as usual it 
was carried away by the water. Some distance farther we 
