Of course with noisy, splashing animals any approach to ducks was impossible; on the other hand, the pool was full of huge crocodiles.

We could see them with owl glasses.

However, I agreed to go on foot, the elephants to come to me the moment the shots were fired.

I passed through the tall bamboo-grass in water deepening till it was nearly up to my waist as I came to the edge, and found myself about twenty yards from ten or a dozen of the ducks.

They were not sitting close together, so I shot the finest with one barrel, and another as they rose, and I made off to the elephants as hard as I could.