galese mile, we mounted our horses, and, accompanied
by about five-and-twenty villagers, twenty of whom I wished at Jericho,
we started. By the by, I have quite forgotten to describe who "we"
are--F. H. Palliser, Esq., and myself.

Whether or not it was because I did not feel in brisk health, I do not
know, but somehow or other I had a presentiment that the natives had
misled us, and that we should not find the elephants in the tank, but
that, as usual, we should be led tip to some dense, thorny jungle, and
told that the elephants were somewhere in that direction. Not being
very sanguine, I had accordingly taken no trouble about my gun-bearers,
and I saw several of my rifles in the bands of the villagers, and only
one of my regular gun-bearers had followed me; the rest, having already
had a morning's march, were glad of an excuse to remain behind.

Our rate lay for about a quarter of a mile through deserted paddy-land
and low jungle, after which we entered fine open jungle and forest.
Unfortunately, the recent heavy rains bad filled the tank, which had
overflowed the broken dam and partially flooded the forest. This was in
all parts within two hundred yards from the dam a couple of feet deep
in water, with a proportionate amount of sticky mud beneath, and
through this we splashed until the dam appeared about fifty yards on
our right. It was a simple earthen mound, which rose about ten feet
from the level of the forest, and was studded with immense trees,
apparently the growth of ages. We knew that the tank lay on the
opposite side, but we continued our course parallel with the dam until
we bad ridden about a mile from the village, the natives, for a wonder,
having truly described the distance.

Here our guide, having motioned us to stop, ran quickly up the dam to
take a look out on the opposite side. He almost immediately beckoned
us to come up. This we did without loss of time, and knowing that the
game was in view, I ordered the horses to retire for about a quarter of
a mile.

On our arrival on the dam there was a fine sight. The lake was about
five miles round, and was quite full of water, the surface of which was
covered with a scant, but tall, rushy grass. In the lake, browsing
upon the grass, we counted twenty-three elephants, and there were many
little ones, no doubt, that we could not distinguish in such rank
vegetation. Five large elephants were not more than a hundred and
twenty paces distant; the