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.
