I had walked hardly two hours before I thought I heard the booming tramp of elephants. I lay down upon the ground, my right ear to the earth in order to make sure that I was not mistaken. I heard nothing, however, and thought I must have been mistaken. But, continuing my way, I suddenly heard a great racket in the forest. Elephants were breaking branches of trees. I looked at “Bulldog”; it was all right. I advanced cautiously in the direction of the noise, and soon saw under the trees bordering the prairie five elephants,—a bull and four cows. I crawled towards them like a snake. I drew nearer and nearer. Now and then I would raise my head above the grass to get a look at the elephants. The bull was a huge creature and seemed to be over ten feet in height,—the cows from nine to nine feet and a half. Finally I hid behind a tree, for I wanted to watch the noble animals at my ease. I noticed the big tusks of the bull and thought of his charging a man and impaling him upon them.
The animals were feeding upon the fruit growing upon a cluster of trees. One was shaking a tree with its trunk entwined round the slender stem. Another was butting its head against a tree, and after a lot of the fruit had fallen they picked it up, uttering occasionally a gentle trumpeting of contentment.
I was so intensely interested in watching them, that I forgot that I had “Bulldog” with me. All at once the bull trumpeted loudly and they all fled, plunging headlong into the forest. I immediately returned to the camp and told of the news. We held a council, and it was agreed that we should set out on an elephant hunt that night.
We took a survey of the surrounding country and saw that the forest advanced here and there into the prairie just as the land does into the sea, and formed in a number of places what might be called capes. These capes were splendid places from which to watch for elephants. We waited impatiently for the night and lighted no fire that day. We agreed to divide into two parties, Oshoria and I going to the nearest cape on our right, which was near a fine field of plantain trees. Ogoola, Quabi, and Ngola were to go to another cape on our left, from which they could also have a good view of the surrounding country. They could see far towards the north, we towards the south.
When evening came we bade each other good-night and started for our respective places. When I looked back I saw the dark forms of Ogoola, Quabi, and Ngola moving away from us. We reached our place and hid under a tall tree, the branches of which extended over the grass. We were at the extreme end of the point, near a big field of plantain trees, a great many of these bearing fruit not yet full grown. The stars were shining brightly in the blue sky and multitudes of fireflies were moving above the grass, almost illuminating the prairie.
By the brighter light above the trees we knew that the moon had risen. After a while it appeared just above the forest, and gradually rose higher and higher and shed its tempered light over the country.
Soon life began to show itself—I saw a few antelopes emerging from the forest. They were fine animals, with long spiral horns, but we let them alone, for we were after larger game. On the other side of the prairie we saw a large herd of buffaloes—I counted thirty-seven of them. Their bulls are very dangerous animals; they charge furiously, and only a very powerful gun can be effective with a shot in front, on account of the formation of their horns. I always took very careful aim when shooting them—they were among the animals I dreaded most. They hide during the day in the forest, and come out at night. But we left the buffaloes also alone.
How impressive was the night on the prairie. We could hear once in a while the cry of the owl, and see flying squirrels above our heads. The sky and the dear twinkling stars were looking down upon us.
The time seemed very long, as it always does when one is kept waiting. Three hours passed away. No elephants had come in sight. I scanned the prairie carefully as far as my eye could reach. Suddenly my attention was drawn, in the far distance, towards a big black spot in the grass which I took to be a cluster of shrubs, but wondered that I had not noticed it before. I watched the black spot, for I was not sure that it was formed by young trees. Soon I saw it moving slowly and advancing towards our side of the prairie. I thought they were elephants, but they might also have been hippopotami, for there might have been a river in the neighborhood. The animals were so far away I could not distinguish them.
I looked for Oshoria, but he was not in sight. Where had he gone?