230 
SPORT AND WAR. 
CHAr. XXIII. 
were all tired out with feasting and gaiety. It was 
equally trying to His Royal Highness, but above all 
he did not think it right that such lavish hospi¬ 
tality should be continued on his account for an 
indefinite time; so taking us into his own private room 
and telling us all this, His Royal Highness asked if we 
could propose anything to obviate the difficulty. 
Currie and myself at once said that if he would 
place himself in our hands we would take him up 
country and show him some elephant-shooting. The 
Prince was delighted with the idea, and we returned 
to the ballroom to communicate the suggestion to his 
Excellency the Governor. Sir Philip, however, pooh- 
poohed the idea, and offered to bet ten to one that we 
would not even see an elephant. I am not a betting 
man, but Currie took the Grovernor up at once, and the 
result of the bet will be seen by and by. 
A second discussion in the private room settled the 
matter, and it was arranged that the expedition was to 
take place, and to start from Simon’s Bay. About 400 
or 500 miles up the coast to the eastward there is a 
magnificent forest, known as the Knysna, extending on 
to the Tzitsikama Forest. Currie and I knew there 
were large droves of elephants in this forest, and to 
that spot we proposed taking His Royal Highness. 
Two ships of war, the 4 Racoon ’ and the 4 Petrel,’ were 
placed at the disposal of the Prince and the Grovernor, 
