to support him. At last evening closed in, and having travelled some
eighteen miles, we camped, thoroughly tired out.

"Before dawn on the following day we were up, and the first break of
light found us once more on the spoor. About half-past five o'clock
we reached the place where the elephants had fed and slept. The
two unwounded bulls had taken their fill, as the condition of the
neighbouring bushes showed, but the wounded one had eaten nothing. He
had spent the night leaning against a good-sized tree, which his weight
had pushed out of the perpendicular. They had not long left this place,
and could not be very far ahead, especially as the wounded bull was now
again so stiff after his night's rest that for the first few miles the
other two had been obliged to support him. But elephants go very quick,
even when they seem to be travelling slowly, for shrub and creepers that
almost stop a man's progress are no hindrance to them. The three had
now turned to the left, and were travelling back again in a semicircular
line toward the mountains, probably with the idea of working round to
their old feeding grounds on the further side of the river.

"There was nothing for it but to follow their lead, and accordingly
we followed with industry. Through all that long hot day did we tramp,
passing quantities of every sort of game, and even coming across the
spoor of other elephants. But, in spite of my men's entreaties, I would
not turn aside after these. I would have those mighty tusks or none.

"By evening we were quite close to our game, probably within a quarter
of a mile, but the bush was dense, and we could see nothing of them, so
once more we must camp, thoroughly disgusted with our luck. That night,
just after the moon rose, while I was sitting smoking my pipe with my
back against a tree, I heard an elephant trumpet, as though something