ON THE ALERT FOR ELEPHANTS. 245 
from here in a wagon. It is not far, but the sand is 
so heavy that the oxen can only take slow and short 
stages. We have plenty of good water now, but the 
frightful annoyance from mosquitoes at night counter¬ 
balances this advantage. I know of no country in 
the world that can compare with Africa for brilliant 
sport, but it must be confessed that this part of it is 
a sandy desert, only fit to keep a few miserable goats 
in existence. There is not a bite of grass now ex¬ 
cept along the edge of the reeds, but, then, it is 
winter. Although the sun is overpowering in the 
day, it is very cold in the early mornings and at 
nights ; and it requires a considerable amount of 
courage to get from under the blankets before sun- 
o 
rise. 
I found yesterday the fresh spoor of a troop of 
elephants, some very large bulls and cows, inter¬ 
mixed, and tracked them to the water. Last night, 
all the dogs were made fast, and small fires only 
allowed, as we were by far too near the spoor with 
the wagon ; but, luckily, the wind was right, and 
John and I went this morning, as soon as it was light 
enough to see, to find out whether the elephants 
had drunk last night, but they had not been. I wait 
quiet to-day in hopes they may come to-night; if 
not, I shall take the old spoor and go in quest of 
them to-morrow, for if they don’t come to-night they 
must find water somewhere else, as they must drink 
every second night at the longest. There is plenty 
of buffalo, giraffe, and rhinoceros spoor, but this is 
