Several large trees and a few bushes grew upon the surface, but for the most part it was covered by a short though luxuriant grass.
One large tree grew within fifty yards of the extreme point of the promontory, and another of the same kind grew at an equal distance from it, but nearer to the main land.

Upon both these trees was a coat of thick mud not many hours old.

The bark was rubbed completely away, and this appeared to have been used for years as a favourite rubbing-post by some immense elephant.

The mud reached full twelve feet up the trunk of the tree, and there were old marks far above this which had been scored by his tusks.

There was no doubt that one of these tank rogues of extraordinary size had frequented this spot for years, and still continued to do so, the mud upon the tree being still soft, as though it had been left there that morning.