from the direction I judged the path
to take, by observing the way the sun's rays penetrated the thick
foliage, I thought it would lead us homeward, I did not like to turn
back. We therefore proceeded along it. Elephants are tolerable
road-makers, as wherever they can get through an army may follow.

We went on for about an hour, till we were in a denser forest than I had
yet seen. Creepers innumerable hung down from the boughs, twisting
round them, and forming a complete network in all directions; while huge
fern-leaved plants covered the ground, waving gracefully above our
heads. We were in a complete labyrinth of shrubs, plants, and creepers,
out of which alone I could certainly never have extricated myself. "No
fear, me find a way," said Chickango, "while sun up," and he pointed to
a small opening above our heads, through which the sky could be seen.
We went on a little way; but it appeared to me that we were getting more
and more involved in the mazes of the forest. I looked at Chickango.
He had always been faithful. I could not suppose that he now intended
treachery; and yet could he have had any private communication with the
natives we had been visiting, and agreed to deliver the white men dead
or alive into their hands? I was following close behind him, for often
there was not room for us to walk two abreast, I should say to creep
rather, in and among the underwood. Suddenly he turned round and
touched me on the arm, making a significant gesture to be silent. Then
he crept slowly on, crouching down close to the ground. I followed his
example as well as I could, though it was difficult to get on in that
attitude. Presently he stopped, as did I, behind the crooked trunk of a
half-dead tree, and listening, I heard a loud flapping noise as if some
machinery were at work. Then rising a little from my cover, I observed
a high brown back, looking like some vast mound among the foliage. It
soon began to move, and the head and ears of an enormous elephant came
into view. It appeared to me that the creature's eye was turned towards
us. If so, I could not but expect that he would quickly come to
ascertain who were the pigmy intruders into his domain. Chickango kept
crouching down watching the creature. I fancied I heard a noise on my
left side, and glancing in that direction, I saw another huge head with
a trunk lifted above it. Had I been an experienced hunter, I might have
known how to act. I was afr