Passing Cautiously Through A Thick Jungle, We At
Length Emerged Upon An Extensive Tract Of High Lemon Grass.
There was a
small pool of water close to the edge of the jungle, which was
surrounded with the fresh dung of elephants, and the muddy surface was
still agitated by the recent visit of some of these thirsty giants.
Carefully ascending some slightly rising ground, and keeping close to
the edge of the jungle, we peered over the high grass.
We were in the centre of the herd, who were much scattered. It was very
late, being nearly dusk, but we counted six elephants here and there in
the high grass within sixty paces of us, while the rustling in the
jungle to our left, warned us, that a portion of the herd had not yet
quitted this cover. We knew that the 'rogue' was somewhere close at
hand, and after his recent defeat he would be doubly on the alert. Our
plans therefore required the greatest vigilance.
There was no doubt as to the proper course to pursue, which was to wait
patiently until the whole herd should have left the jungle and
concentrated in the high grass; but the waning daylight did not permit
of such a steady method of proceeding. I then proposed that we should
choose our elephants, which were scattered in the high grass, and
advance separately to the attack. Palliser voted that we should creep up
to the elephants that were in the jungle close to us, instead of going
into the high grass.
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