rd, but still
we had not killed the rogue. Excited to the utmost by our success, and
ready for anything, we resolved if possible to accomplish that
undertaking before we returned to the village.

One of the natives cutting off the tail of the elephant we had killed,
we worked our way as well as we could out of the jungle, and found
ourselves in a more open country, with the lake on one side and some
hills on the other--the intervening space, sloping up the side of the
mountain, being covered with dense lemon grass, which we found on
approaching was twelve feet high. Dango, on looking about and examining
the ground, assured us that the herd had gone in that direction, and
that the rogue himself was not far from him. The spot was altogether a
very secluded one, and very likely to be the resort of large herds of
elephants. Before us a promontory stretched out into the lake. We
proceeded to the end to look out for elephants, as there was no doubt
that they frequented the lake to drink; but none were seen, so we judged
that they had retired into the cooler jungle after their morning repast.
We turned, therefore, back to the foot of the mountains on our left,
when the loud trumpeting or roaring of elephants brought us to a halt.
The roaring grew louder and louder, and as it reverberated among the
cliffs and rocks, it seemed more like distant thunder than any sound
which living animals could make, and more dread-inspiring than anything
I could have conceived. Dango said at once that the sound must be made
by a large herd, and that they were a quarter of a mile off at least.
On drawing nearer, Dango discovered the tracks, though the ground was
hard and sandy, and covered with rocks. He pointed out here and there a
stone displaced, and pieces of twigs, and crunched grass, and leaves
which the elephants had dropped while browsing as they sauntered on.
Here and there also we came to a soft place, where they had left the
marks of their huge feet.

It was now necessary to proceed with the greatest caution, for we knew
that we could not be many paces from the herd. Having clambered over
and among a number of rocks with no little difficulty, we found
ourselves on the margin of a level space, so completely covered with the
lemon grass of which I have spoken that it was with difficulty we could
force our way through it. Still, Nowell did not hesitate to enter it,
and of course I went with him, followed closely by Dango and the