Evidently the herd had travelled fast and far, and I began to think that we should have to give it up, when suddenly I caught sight of a brown mass moving through the thorn-trees on the side of a slope about a quarter of a mile away.
My heart seemed to jump into my mouth.

Where is the hunter who has not felt like this at the sight of his first elephant?
I called a halt, and then the wind being right, we set to work to stalk the bull.

Very quietly I rode down the hither side of the slope till we came to the bottom, which was densely covered with bush.

Here I saw the elephants had been feeding, for broken branches and upturned trees lay all about.

I did not take much notice, however, for all my thoughts were fixed upon the bull I was stalking, when suddenly my horse gave a violent start that nearly threw me from the saddle, and there came a mighty rush and upheaval of something in front of me.