Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
- GUILD you like to know what
is going to happen tomorrow.
mn Inkos?" The wrinkled old
native squatted before me
1T. .s.,lrI. In,

looked up with twinkle in
his eye
3sI certainly would. But you can't tell me-"
"Oh yes, can, Tnkos.'
Some devils curiosity prompted me to inyes-
tigate. Maybe because was SO uncertain about
the elephants myself or perhaps just out of
fondness for poughing into things native. Any
way, I encouraged Old One Eye, as called
my private witch-doctoring tracker. to carry
on He shifted up q heaping teaspoonful Of
snuff and after splitting contentedly and shut
fling his heels firmer into the ground, began
his f0retelIing.
Harry and and Mackie had been hunting
elephants for months. They had shot several,
but since I had joined them we had enjoyed
no luck at ALL For days we had been following
herd, but that evening when old One Eye
spoke for the first time we didn't know whether
the herd was one day or one week ahead. 1t
sometimes happens that way with elephants.
None Of the signs is sufficiently fresh or en-
phatic to give accurate news
AS One Eye told his tale of happenings we
smiled We professional hunters, and particu-
larry Harry and Mackie, who had been brought
up in the country knew better. The elephants
couldn't be so close. But One Eye insisted.
The next day would prove he was right. We
would find the herd when the sun was so high.
He raised his arm to point where the sun
would be at about IL. They would be standing
in very small "salSa" (patch of dense bush)
near spring. Sibiunni, giving me my native
name, would not see them. Schechambia would
see but not shoot. Dunkamatan, Mackie
puld kill bull with broken tusk
In the hurry and hustle of getting our long
safari under way by sun-up One Eyes prophecy
was forgotten, or crowded into the background.
We trekked slowly across the field Our scouts
and crackers were spread out fanwise a,cad,
running down false leads and generally gather
ing all the possible information. The tale
was much as on the previous day Broken
branches, spewed out chunks of chewed roots,
.spoor and bent grass But all so withered by
the intense October heat or SO dew moistened
that their age was guesswork. We wound
around large ant hills worned our way through
bits OF sakas" and crossed many an open
Wei An elephant will do 60 miles a day
sometimes We had to do at least 40.
A BOUT 1890 we came to the edge of an
other Wei. Instead Of pushing on Harry
stood staring across the grass-coyered shallow
depression. AT the farther side could see a
mud splashed spot at the edge Of some thick
bush that looked like q spring. But we had
passed two already that morning and many
IN the weeks before. Harry grasped my arm
as ! started to push past him
Look DaEe!"
sinking holes the elephants trampIe in"
I know. But look at the SUM- See the thick
bush on the farther side?"
oh. you mean old One Eye? Well come on.
Ine only way to find out is to go over"
so over we tramped. The mud about the
%fpring was giistening with water For SO yards
about the air was permeated with the strong
smell OF elephants Every one was excited ex-
cept One Eye. He knew. Harry detached two
hunters and sent them around the "saka" in
opposite directions. The carriers quietly un-
loaded and we sat down to wait
Within half an hour the boys were br.ct
The elephants were inside. There were no
tracks leading out. Our chance had come We
discussed it thoroughly. Finally it was decided
that Harry would go through the "saka" and
s0Eaye out the elephants or tackle lilem inside
while Mackie went around the nor h end and
the south end. He was to give US few min
utes start g9s tslf< 9@
on we went, each with his e1nbsarsr. Il i was