Accordingly, I
determined to watch for elephants, as their tracks were numerous
throughout the bed of the river. My wife and two gun-bearers
accompanied me, and we sat behind an immense tree that grew on
the bank, exactly about the drinking place. I watched for hours,
until I fell asleep, as did my men likewise: my wife alone was
awake, and a sudden tug at my sleeve attracted my attention. The
moon was bright, and she had heard a noise upon the branches of
the tree above us: there were no leaves, therefore I quickly
observed some large animal upon a thick bough. My Tokrooris had
awoke, and they declared it to be a baboon. I knew this to be
impossible, as the baboon is never solitary, and I was just
preparing to fire, when down jumped a large leopard within a few
feet of us, and vanished before I had time to shoot. It must have
winded our party, and quietly ascended the tree to reconnoitre.
Nothing but hyaenas came to the pool, therefore we returned to
camp.
According to my agreement, I went to the aggageers' camp at 5
A.M. with Hadji Ali and Hassan, both mounted on my two horses,
Aggahr and Gazelle, while I rode Tetel. Taher Sheriff requested
me not to shoot at anything, as the shots might alarm and scare
away elephants; therefore I merely carried my little Fletcher, in
case of meeting the Base, who hunted in this country.
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