256 
AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 
would have in a hay-field. The bushes in most places rose 
just above their backs, so that they were completely hid 
from the hunter even a few feet away. Yet the cover af¬ 
forded no shade to the mighty beasts, and it seemed strange 
that elephants should stand in it at mid-day with the sun out. 
There they were, however, for, looking cautiously into the 
cover from behind the bushes on a slight hill crest quarter 
of a mile off, we could just make out a huge ear now and 
then as it lazily flapped. 
On account of the wind we had to go well to one side 
before entering the jungle. Then in we went in single 
file, Cuninghame and Tarlton leading, with a couple of our 
naked guides. The latter showed no great desire to get too 
close, explaining that the elephants were ‘‘very fierce.” 
Once in the jungle, we trod as quietly as possible, thread¬ 
ing our way along the elephant trails, which crossed and 
recrossed one another. Evidently it was a favorite haunt, 
for the sign was abundant, both old and new. In the im¬ 
penetrable cover it was quite impossible to tell just where 
the elephants were, and twice we sent one of the savages up 
a tree to locate the game. The last time the watcher, who 
stayed in the tree, indicated by signs that the elephant were 
not far off; and his companions wished to lead us round 
to where the cover was a little lower and thinner. But 
to do so would have given them our wind, and Cuninghame 
refused, taking into his own hands the management of the 
stalk. I kept my heavy rifle at the ready, and on we went, 
in watchful silence, prepared at any moment for a charge. 
We could not tell at what second we might catch our first 
glimpse at very close quarters of “the beast that hath 
between his eyes the serpent for a hand,” and when thus 
