When they had followed the track for a little more than a mile, John caught sight of an object in the distance that caused him to halt. At first he was unable to determine what the object was, but when Royce persuaded him to advance a few paces he declared excitedly that it was a fallen horse.
Royce ordered his men to extend and scout carefully forward. Coming presently to the horse he saw that it was dead, and beyond it, hitherto hidden from sight, lay a dead negro, his body terribly crushed.
What had happened was clear. The hapless rider had been caught by the elephants, and overthrown before he could extricate himself from the undergrowth. With a shudder Royce passed on.
Some little distance farther on John halted again.
"What is it now?" asked Royce, whom the slow progress was making more and more uneasy.
"No go fort way, sah," replied the man. "Fort dat way, elephants go dis."
He pointed first straight ahead through the forest, then to the right, the direction in which the elephants had rushed. It was clear from the marks of devastation that the beasts had not yet checked their furious pace. Royce wondered what had caused a panic which was so persistent.
"We had better go after the elephants," he said after a few moments' consideration. "It is out of our way, you say, but it will be at any rate clear of Tubus."
Accordingly they struck off to the right. The forest here was somewhat denser, and though the small trees and undergrowth had been pretty well levelled by the elephants' ponderous bodies, the tangle made marching very difficult. Royce halted several times in order that he might not altogether lose touch with the carriers behind.
After another half-hour's tramp the course of the elephants took another turn to the right.