We Could, Therefore, Obtain No Satisfactory Information
Regarding Elephants; But I Was Convinced, From The High Grass Around The
Lake, That If Any Elephants Were In The District Some Would Be Here.
It
was late in the evening, the coolies were heaping up the night-fires,
and as darkness closed upon us, the savoury steam of a peacock that was
roasting on a stick betokened the welcome approach of dinner.
We had
already commenced, when the roaring of elephants within a short distance
of the tent gave us hope of sport on the following day.
At daybreak the next morning I strolled round the lake to look for
tracks. A herd of about seven had been feeding during the night within
half a mile of the tent. During my walk I saw innumerable pea-fowl,
jungle-fowl, hares and ducks, in addition to several herds of deer; but
not wishing to disturb the country, I did not fire, but returned to the
tent and sent out trackers.
In the afternoon the natives returned with intelligence of a small pool
two miles from the opposite shore of the lake, situated in dense jungle;
here they had seen fresh elephant tracks, and they proposed that we
should watch the pool that evening at the usual drinking hour of the
game. As this was the only pool of water for miles round with the
exception of the lake, I thought the plan likely to succeed, and we
therefore started without loss of time.
On arrival at the pool we took a short survey of our quarters. A small
round sheet of water of perhaps eighty yards in diameter lay in the
midst of a dense jungle. Several large trees were growing close to the
edge, and around these lay numerous rocks of about four feet high,
forming a capital place for concealment. Covering the tops of the rocks
with boughs to conceal our heads, we lay quietly behind them in
expectation of the approaching game.
The sun sank, and the moon rose in great beauty, throwing a silvery
light upon the surface of the water chequered by the dark shadows of the
surrounding trees. Suddenly the hoarse bark of an elk sounded within a
short distance, and I could distinguish two or three dark forms on the
opposite bank. The shrill and continual barking of spotted deer now
approaching nearer and nearer, the rustling in the jungle, and the
splashing in the water announced continual arrivals of game to the
lonely drinking-place. Notwithstanding the immense quantity of animals
that were congregated together, we could not distinguish them plainly on
account of the dark background of jungle. Elk, deer, buffaloes, and hogs
were all bathing and drinking in immense numbers, but there were no
elephants.
For some hours we watched the accumulation of game; there was not a
breath of air, although the scud was flying fast above us, occasionally
throwing a veil over the moon and casting a sudden obscurity on the dim
scene before us. Our gun-bearers were crouched around us; their dark
skins matching with the ground on which they squatted, they looked like
so many stumps of trees. It was nearly ten o'clock, and my eyes ached
with watching; several times I found myself nodding as sleep took me by
surprise; so, leaving a man to look out, we sat quietly down and
discussed a cold fowl that we had brought with us.
We had just finished a pint bottle of cherry brandy when I felt a gentle
touch upon my shoulder, and our look-out man whispered in my ear the
magic word 'alia' (elephant), at the same time pointing in the direction
of the tank. The guns were all wrapped up in a blanket to keep them from
the dew, so telling W. to uncover them and to distribute them to the
respective gun-bearers without noise, I crept out and stole unperceived
along the margin of the tank to discover the number and position of the
elephants. So deceitful was the moonlight, being interrupted by the dark
shadows of the jungle, that I was within ten paces of the nearest
elephant before I distinguished her. I counted three--one large and two
others about six feet high. Being satisfied with my information, and
having ascertained that no others were in the jungle, I returned to my
companions; they were all ready, and we crept forward. We were within
ten paces of the large elephant, when a branch of hooked thorn caught W.
by the clothes; the noise that he made in extricating himself
immediately attracted the attention of the elephant, and she turned
quickly round, receiving at the same moment an ineffectual shot from W.;
B. at the same time fired without effect at one of the small elephants.
The mother, hearing a roar from the small elephant that B. had wounded,
immediately rushed up to it, and they stood side by side in the water
about fifteen yards from the bank. The large elephant now cocked her
ears and turned her head from side to side with great quickness to
discover an enemy. I ran close to the water's edge, and the mother
perceiving me immediately came forward. I could hardly distinguish the
sights of my rifle, and I was, therefore, obliged to wait till she was
within four or five paces before I fired. She gave me a good shot, and
dropped dead. The young one was rushing about and roaring in a
tremendous manner, having again been fired at and wounded by B. and W.
By this time I had got a spare gun, and, wading into the tank, I soon
came to such close quarters that I could not miss, and one shot killed
him. The other small elephant escaped unseen in the confusion caused by
the firing.
The following evening we again watched the pool, and once more a mother
and her young one came to drink. W. and B. extinguished the young one
while I killed the mother.
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