XV 
RETURN TO LAKE RUDOLPH 
359 
screen our approach, quite enough to obviate any risk of our 
being seen at that distance by such short-sighted creatures. 
I had never before, during all my elephant-hunting in Central 
Africa, seen any in such open ground ; and it was the first 
occasion in my experience when a horse might have been 
used. The elephants were now standing still, nearly in a row, 
one behind the other, but at right angles to us. I surveyed 
them through my glasses. The three bulls were all big 
fellows, with fine tusks. Those of the first were long and 
white ; the second, which had a very old look about the face, 
seemed to have even longer tusks, though not so white ; the 
third was the cow, with insignificant ivory ; while the fourth’s 
teeth appeared the thickest of all, though shorter than the 
others. 
The ground between us and them was so open and devoid 
of anything to cover one’s approach, beyond a few very scraggy, 
thin, and low bits of stunted bushes, that I thought we could 
not get within easy killing range, and hoped they would move 
on to more favourable ground. But as, after waiting some 
time, they still remained stationary, I decided to try and get 
near, lest the wind should fail or change; for the weather 
looked unsettled. Taking advantage of a slight hollow, and 
crouching low, I succeeded, by using the greatest caution, in 
reaching successfully a little screen of bare, semi-transparent 
sprays, whence nearer approach seemed impossible unobserved. 
What I could see now of the tusks of the second bull increased 
my ambition to possess them. Partly veiled though they were 
by a thin shrub just in front of them, I could trace the outline 
of the one nearest me, and it seemed to reach the ground ! 
But after trying to get a good aim from this point I felt 
dissatisfied, not wishing to wound and lose, so crawled on 
hands and knees, in spite of tiny thorns innumerable, to 
within perhaps fifty yards. Thence I got a good view ; and, 
having still avoided detection by keeping close to the ground, 
while availing myself as much as possible of such sticks and 
