were
obliged to fire. Mine fell dead, but the other fell, and, recovering
himself immediately, he escaped in the thick jungle.
This was bad luck, and we returned towards the 'amblam' to breakfast. On
our way there we found that the 'rogue' had concealed himself in a piece
of thick jungle, backed by hills of very high lemon grass. From this
stronghold we tried to drive him, and posted ourselves in a fine
position to receive him should he break cover; but he was too cunning
to come out, and the beaters were too knowing to go in to drive such bad
jungle; it was, therefore, a drawn game, and we were obliged to leave
him.
When within a short distance of the 'amblam', a fine black partridge
got up at about sixty yards. I was lucky enough to knock him over with a
rifle, and still more fortunate in not injuring him much with the ball,
which took his wing off close to his body. Half an hour afterwards he
formed part of our breakfast.
During our meal a heavy shower of rain came down, and continued for
about two hours.
In the afternoon we sallied out, determined to shoot at any large game
that we might meet. We had lately confined our sport to elephants, as
we did not wish to disturb the country by shooting at other game; but
having fired in this neighbourhood during the morning, we were not very
particular.
We walked through a lovely country for about five miles, seeing nothing
whatever in the shape of game, not even a track, as all the old marks
were washed out by the recent shower. At length we heard the barking of
deer in the distance, and, upon going in that direction, we saw a fine
herd of about thirty. They were standing in a beautiful meadow of about
a hundred acres in extent, perfectly level, and interspersed with trees,
giving it the appearance of an immense orchard rather thinly planted.
One side of this plain was bounded by a rocky mountain, which rose
precipitously from its base, the whole of which was covered with fine
open forest.
We were just stalking towards the deer when we came upon a herd of wild
buffaloes in a small hollow, within a close shot.
Palliser wanted a pair of horns, and he was just preparing for a shot,
when we suddenly heard the trumpet of an elephant in the forest at the
foot of the rocky mountains close to us.
Elephants, buffaloes, and deer were all within a hundred yards of each
other: we almost expected to see Noah's ark on the top of the hill.
Of course the elephants claim
|