I started at daybreak, with all
my horses and gun-bearers. For about sixteen miles we tracked up
the herd to within a short distance of the base of the mountain
range. During the march, we had seen large quantities of
giraffes, and all the varieties of large antelopes. The country,
that had consisted of a vast plain, now changed to rapid
undulations; the trees were generally small, and, at this season
of intense dryness, were devoid of leaves. At the bottom of one
of these undulations, among a number of skeleton trees, that
afforded no shade, we discovered the elephants, standing in the
high withered grass, that entirely concealed all but the upper
portion of their heads; they were amusing themselves by tearing
up the trees, and feeding upon the succulent roots. I ordered
Taher Noor and Bacheet each to take a horse and rifle, and to
lead them, together with my hunter Aggahr, about a hundred yards
behind me, while I advanced towards the elephants on foot. At the
sound of the first shot they were to mount, and to bring my horse
and spare guns as rapidly as possible. Unfortunately, the herd
was alarmed by a large bull giraffe that was asleep in the grass,
which started up within thirty yards of us, and dashed off in
terror through the mass of elephants.
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