196 
IN AFRICA 
knew that some invisible hostile influence was 
abroad in the land, but they could not locate in 
which direction it lay. We saw the sensitive trunks 
feeling for the scent and saw the big ears moving 
uneasily back and forth. One large cow with a 
broken tusk was facing us, vaguely conscious that 
danger lay in that direction. And then, by some 
The Rear-guard 
code of signals known only to the elephant world, 
the greater number of elephants moved off down 
the slope and up the opposite slope. Only the big, 
aggressive cow and four or five smaller animals re¬ 
mained behind as a rear-guard. She stood as she 
had stood for some moments, gazing directly at us 
and nervously waving her ears and trunk. 
Akeley climbed to the top of an ant-hill and 
made some photographs showing the big cow and 
