ciiAr. viii,] 
MRS. BAKER'S DWELLING. 
323 
might require; offering to become personally responsible 
for her safety ; he agreed to place a spell upon the door 
of our hut, that nothing evil should enter it during my 
absence. It was a snug little dwelling, about nine 
feet in diameter, and perfectly round; the floor well 
cemented with cow-dung and clay, and the walls about 
four feet six inches in height, formed of mud and 
sticks, likewise polished off* with cow-dung. The door 
had enlarged, and it was now a very imposing entrance 
of about four feet high, and a great contrast to the 
surrounding hut or dog-kennel with two feet height 
of doorway. 
On the 7th of May I started with three men, and 
taking a course south, I rode through a most lovely 
country, within five miles of the base, and parallel 
with the chain of the Madi mountains. There was 
abundance of beautiful flowers, especially of orchi¬ 
daceous plants ; the country was exceedingly park-like 
and well wooded, but generally overgrown with grass 
then about six feet high. After riding for about four¬ 
teen miles, one of the guides ran back, and reported 
elephants to be on the road a, little in advance. One 
of my mounted men offered to accompany me should 
I wish to hunt them. I had no faith in my man, but 
I rode forward, and shortly observed a herd of ten bull 
elephants standing together about sixty yards from the 
y 2 
