320 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
the muddy margin of the swamp. Here the bush was dense 
and leafy ; farther out into the swamp the trees seemed dead, 
but no open water was visible, while farther back the cover was 
in parts a little less continuous and varied here and there by 
narrow grassy glades. We soon came upon fresh spoor on the 
elephant paths—which cut up the thicket skirting the swamp, 
and wound in and out, sometimes through mud, at others over 
sandy soil. The footprints were of cows and calves, and there 
appeared to be a large herd. I wanted bulls; but, as our 
informant in the garden had told us there were some of these 
also, I went on in hopes of finding them. 
We now heard much splashing ahead, as of many elephants 
tramping slowly through the marsh. They seemed to be moving 
along in front of us, in the direction we were going. The 
wind was most troublesome and perplexing, blowing sometimes 
in our faces and again coming from behind, so that it was 
difficult to decide how to act. Under the circumstances I 
decided to push on and chance it. We soon overtook the rear¬ 
guard, as we could tell by the splashing opposite us; and 
shortly after saw a little lot of cows enter the path ahead of us, 
coming up diagonally from the swamp. They must have got 
our wind, for they were evidently aware of our presence ; but 
they did not seem alarmed, and continued to saunter slowly 
along in front of us, occasionally standing for a little. I could 
only get fitful glimpses of them as the windings of the paths 
allowed, but I saw enough to show me that they were all small 
cows with comparatively light tusks. I was therefore not 
anxious to shoot them ; but followed for some distance with 
my Lee-Metford (as the most suitable weapon, anyway for this 
class of elephants) in my hands (not wishing to use any of my 
big cartridges on such small fry), on the lookrout for one with 
rather better teeth. 
As they seemed all about the same class and I was afraid 
they would re-enter the swamp and escape us altogether, I 
increased my pace so as to overtake them, with the idea that 
