about a quarter to seven o'clock
The night passed uneventfully and quietly , save for the constant barking of the jackals and baboons and the occasional cry of a leopard or roar of a lion ; but we had by this time grown quite accustomed to such sounds as these , and were not in the least disturbed by them , even the dogs disdaining to take the slightest notice of them , except when the authors approached within certain fairly well-defined limits which Thunder and Juno seemed to have mutually agreed were too near ; then indeed our guardians would respond with low warning growls which , if the offenders drew still nearer , rapidly merged into a deafening clamour of savage barks that effectually aroused everybody . But on the night in question the marauders gave the wagon a wide berth ; probably there was a sufficiency of game near the water-hole to supply all their wants without the necessity for them to approach the hateful blaze of the camp fire , and our rest was undisturbed . With the appearance of the first gleam of dawn in the eastern sky , however , the three blacks crawled out from underneath the wagon , made up the fire afresh , fetched water from the river , and proceeded to prepare breakfast , for Piet and I had agreed upon the wisdom of getting upon the spoor of the elephants as early as possible , in order that the greater part of the travelling might be done before the heat became oppressive . It was about a quarter to seven o'clock when , having breakfasted and completed our final preparations , Piet and I swung ourselves into our saddles and started for the water-hole at an easy canter , Jan 's instructions being to follow with the wagon until he should reach a certain signal which we would leave behind us , and which was to be the intimation that he had trekked far enough and must outspan until he received further orders . Piet was mounted on Punch , the chestnut , a thoroughly steady and reliable animal , and carried the provisions for the expedition , half the ammunition , and the elephant gun ; while I rode Prince , and carried the other half of the ammunition and my rifle , as well as a stout , double-edged hunting knife which I wore in a sheath attached to my belt . Thunder and Juno accompanied us as usual , and , like the sensible animals that they were , trotted quietly along close to the horses ' heels , saving their strength for what was possibly to come later , instead of wasting it , as in their younger and less experienced days , by dashing hither and thither , in the exuberance of their spirits , over an utterly unnecessary extent of ground . Going at an easy pace , we reached the farther extremity of the pool in about three-quarters of an hour , and at once picked up the spoor of the elephants without the least trouble .