he animals
mostly to be feared in that region. It was not impossible that I might
fall in with an elephant, but I had no intention of attacking one if I
did, and should have ample notice of its approach, so that I might keep
out of its way. I had gone about a quarter of a mile or so from the
camp, and was thinking of turning back when I reached a tree which I
found I could easily climb, as the remains of branches stuck out almost
close to the ground. I got up for the sake of taking a survey of the
country around, and especially over that part of it we had to travel the
next morning. I found my lofty seat very pleasant, for I was well
shaded by the thick foliage over head, while a light breeze played among
the leaves, which was refreshing in the extreme. I had some difficulty
in keeping awake, but I endeavoured to do so fearful of letting go my
gun, or, perhaps, of falling to the ground myself. I did my best not to
fall asleep, by singing and by occasionally getting up and looking
around me.

The tree grew, I should have said, on the side of a bank, with a wide
extent of level ground to the eastward, dotted over with thick clumps of
trees, some large enough to be called woods; while nearer at hand, on
either side of me, the vegetation was more scattered, here and there two
or three trees only growing together. In some places single trees alone
could be seen, rising in solitary grandeur from the soil. I had just
got up when I caught sight of an elephant, which had come out from one
of the clumps I have mentioned, where it had probably been spending the
hot hours of the day, and advanced slowly towards me, now plucking a
bunch of leaves with its trunk, now pulling up a shrub or plant.
Presently I caught sight of a man with a gun in his hand coming out from
the forest to the left and making his way towards where the elephant was
feeding. He apparently did not see the animal, which was hidden from
him by an intervening clump. When he got closer I recognised my uncle.
Wishing to warn him of the neighbourhood of the elephant, I shouted as
loudly as I could bawl; but, from the distance we were apart, he could
not hear me. The elephant also took no notice of my voice, but went on
feeding as before.

Presently my uncle came in sight of the monstrous beast, which must have
seen him at the same time, for it ceased feeding and turned its head in
the direction he was coming. Nothing daunted, my uncle continued to
advanc