. On safari : big game hunting in British East Africa, with studies in bird-life . ed by bitingants) I indistinctly descried portions of a vast greybulk beneath some flat-topped thorns, distant 400yards. Even that last short space gave trouble,for in the depths of that grass-forest we suddenlycame on the river Tigerish, a deep, muddy stream,with perpendicular banks like a canal. This, thoughbarely ten yards broad, we had to swim. In the over-hanging bushes colonies of weaver-finches had nests, some AFTER ELEPHANT AT BARINGO a of which contained eggs resembling those of our sparrow,but speckled
. On safari : big game hunting in British East Africa, with studies in bird-life . ed by bitingants) I indistinctly descried portions of a vast greybulk beneath some flat-topped thorns, distant 400yards. Even that last short space gave trouble,for in the depths of that grass-forest we suddenlycame on the river Tigerish, a deep, muddy stream,with perpendicular banks like a canal. This, thoughbarely ten yards broad, we had to swim. In the over-hanging bushes colonies of weaver-finches had nests, some AFTER ELEPHANT AT BARINGO a of which contained eggs resembling those of our sparrow,but speckled with a violet tinge ; in others the youngwere hatched. The next view of our elephant was from a thorn-tree at seventy yards. He stood quiescent, his enormousears flapping to keep ofi the flies. Omitting details ofdetours necessitated or suggested by varying airs, atlast I found m3self watching this giant beast (from atree) within thirty yards. Only the ridge of his backand huge ears were visible above the tall grass, all indeep shade, and I was debating w^ithin myself what was. WEAVER-FINCHES NESTS< the right course to pursue, enjoying the novel sight andtrying to recollect all that the great elephant-huntershad advised. Already Archer, very rightly, had raised aquestion of the wisdom of taking on a solitary old bullunder such conditions; but I only reflected on the fortymiles we had come, the rivers swum, the game in view,and had not realised the full import of his remark nor thedanger of this venture. The perception was not long de-layed. A distinct and continued pufi of wind on the backof my neck brought it home. One moment later that ere-whiles somnolent elephant was all alert. Up in air fulltwenty feet towered the great trunk, its point deflectedhither and thither to pick up those grains of scent in the 68 ON SAFAEI traitor breeze. The next moment he was gone as bymagic, vanishing from sight as silently as a rabbit. Ifeared he had gone for ever, but instinctively climb
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Keywords: ., bookauthorchapmana, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1908
