CHAP. VIII 
EXCURSIONS FROM EL BOGOI 
179 
track, and it was as much as one could do to push aside its 
stiff stems and rasping blades, while sometimes it was a case 
of creeping through low tunnels. I was pleasantly surprised 
to find that the surface of the ground was mostly dry and 
sandy, the water nourishing the rank growth being evidently 
below, though in places were shallow pools and wet mud, 
churned up and pitted with elephant tracks. On climbing 
cautiously a little way up the hillside, so as to get a view 
over the flat, we found that the elephant had moved from 
where we had first seen it; but we soon spotted it again, a 
little farther on, standing under a tree. Then, while we 
watched, it moved into a clump of thorn-trees a little lower 
down, where the grass was not so thick, and we could now 
see that there were several. They were, however, on the 
other side of the river ; that is, the side we had come from, 
for it made a sweep, from where we had crossed it, over to 
the foot of the hills on the eastern side of the valley, and the 
elephants were in the bend. It was therefore necessary for 
us to recross. 
We accordingly forded the shallow stream again, and 
forced our way cautiously through the giant grass towards 
where we had last seen them. The direction of the wind 
being up the valley, we still had it in our faces. Getting to 
where the growth was less uniformly luxuriant, we came in 
sight of two or three, through openings in the grass, some 
thirty yards ahead ; but, before I could get a shot, a treacherous 
eddy of air gave them a whiff of our scent, and they started 
off. Luckily they ran diagonally across our position, and, the 
ground being sufficiently open to give me a chance, I was able 
to give one a shot fairly behind the shoulder, with the 10- 
bore, as she passed. Following, I heard the grumblings and 
rumblings a dying elephant makes, and, approaching cautiously 
(as is necessary in such dangerous ground), though at first I 
could not make her out, after peering about a little I found 
her lying dead among some bushes. Then, forgetting my 
