tracking was very difficult, and it took me a considerable time to
follow them up by the pieces of twigs and crunched leaves, which the
elephants had dropped while feeding. I at length tracked them to a small
pool formed by the rain-water in the hollow of the rock; here they had
evidently been drinking only a few minutes previous, as the tracks of
their feet upon the margin of the pool were still wet. I now went on in
advance of the party with great caution, as I knew that we were not many
paces from the herd. Passing through several passages among the rocks,
I came suddenly upon a level plateau of ground covered with dense lemon
grass about twelve feet high, which was so thick and tangled, that a
man could with difficulty force his way through it. This level space was
about two acres in extent, and was surrounded by jungle upon all sides
but one; on this side, to our right as we entered, the mountain rose in
rocky steps, from the crevices of which, the lemon grass grew in tall
tufts.

The instant that I arrived in this spot, I perceived the nap of an
elephant's ear in the high grass, about thirty paces from me, and
upon careful inspection I distinguished two elephants standing close
together. By the rustling of the grass in different places I could see
that the herd was scattered, but I could not make out the elephants
individually, as the grass was above their heads.

I paused for some minutes to consider the best plan of attack; but the
gun-bearers, who were behind me, being in a great state of excitement,
began to whisper to each other, and in arranging their positions behind
their respective masters, they knocked several of the guns together. In
the same moment, the two leading elephants discovered us, and, throwing
their trunks up perpendicularly, they blew the shrill trumpet of alarm
without attempting to retreat. Several trumpets answered the call
immediately from different positions in the high grass, from which,
trunks were thrown up, and huge heads just appeared in many places, as
they endeavoured to discover the danger which the leaders had announced.

The growl of an elephant is exactly like the rumbling of thunder, and
from their deep lungs the two leader, who had discovered us, kept up an
uninterrupted peal, thus calling the herd together. Nevertheless, they
did not attempt to retreat, but stood gazing attentively at us with
their ears cocked, looking extremely vicious. In the meantime, we stood
perfect