Page 169 - Adventures in Africa

daytime, and afterwards attack them as they came
down to drink.
We had not ridden far when Toko, who was ahead,

came back with the intelligence that he had dis­
covered four or five in an open glade, plucking off the
branches and leaves of their favourite trees; and that

by keeping along through the wood we might come
upon them without much risk of being discovered.
Almost a minute afterwards we came in sight of the

animals, when we at once dismounted to watch them
and arrange our plan of proceeding. W hile some

Makololoes held our horses, my uncle, Ilarry, and I
crept along not far from the edge of the forest, so as
to get in front of the elephants we saw feeding, while

Mr, Welbourn, Toko, and one of his followers made a
wider circuit, with the intention of taking them on the
other side should they move in that direction. W e

hurried on, eager to get in front of the animals before
they should move away. They now offered unusually
good marks to our rifles. My fear was that their

sharp eyes might detect us before we could get near
enough to fire. JMy uncle advised each of us to select

a tree up which we could climb, or whose trunk was of
sufficient thickness to afford us protection should
the elephants, discovering us, make a charge.

As the forest was tolerably thick, they could not
move as rapidly as in the open ground. W e hoped,
therefore, to have time to escape should our bullets

fail to kill them at the first shot. There were three
magnificent fellows feeding close together, and several
others beyond them. The latter had fallen to the

share of Mr. Welbourn and his party, and we agreed

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