“Oguizi,” said Oshoria, “though I have hunted many dry and rainy seasons in the forest, I have never seen so many elephant tracks before. The animals must have been driven here by being too much hunted further inland, or by the bashikouay ants. To-morrow the path will end in a beautiful prairie, and there we shall meet, I think, many elephants.”
We were so tired that we determined to remain where we were for the rest of the day, as there was a clear rivulet of water close by. We had some boar’s meat for supper, and after our meal, my hunters lay flat on their backs upon the ground, and held the soles of their feet within a few inches of the fire. The sole of the foot often becomes very sore from walking upon pebbles, or upon the roots of trees, and that was the way the natives cured the soreness of their feet. Before we knew it we were all fast asleep.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE ELEPHANT HUNTING-GROUND—THE BEAUTIFUL PRAIRIE SKIRTING THE FOREST—THE WELCOME SKY AND SUN AND STARS AFTER THE FOREST GLOOM—HUNTING ELEPHANTS BY MOONLIGHT—THREE LARGE HERDS—NARROW ESCAPE OF OSHORIA AND MYSELF—DEATH OF THE HUGE TUSKER.
We took up our march again at dawn, walking at a very quick pace, for we were all anxious to reach the prairie. After travelling about eight miles I noticed that the light in the forest was getting brighter. This was the sure indication that we were coming to an open space. A moment after, we came out on a lovely prairie, which, after the dark forest, looked the more beautiful. It was so pleasant to see again the blue sky, the white floating clouds, and the sun, to feel the wind blowing in our faces,—for the forest is all the time as quiet as if wind did not exist. “To-night,” I thought, “how happy I shall be, for I shall see the stars and the moon.”
The waving grass looked very lovely to me, for I was tired of seeing nothing but trees day after day, month after month, and the world had never appeared more beautiful than it did that morning. Perhaps also it was because I had found my friends again.
I stood still for a while, gazing at the sky, and said: “Sunshine makes the heart of man happy. I do not wonder that in ancient times men worshipped the sun, for it is the source of all life upon earth. Without sun no vegetation or life would exist.”
Along the borders of the forest were groups of plantain trees, some standing not far from us.
“The elephants are, as we know, in the neighborhood,” said Oshoria. “They will surely come here to eat the young leaves of the plantain trees and their fruit. We could not be here at a better time, for the moon is on the wane and we shall be able to see the elephants well and at the same time the moon will not be too bright. Let us build our camp on the border of the forest.”
To this we all agreed, and the rest of the day we were busy collecting material for our camp. Afterwards we cleaned our guns, and swore that we would not return to the plantation before killing an elephant or two. That night we slept soundly, for we needed rest. In the morning I left my men in the camp, as I loved to hunt alone. I walked along the border of the forest, thus having all the way a good sight of the prairie, while at the same time I was hidden by the trees.