In this case he had not fed; but the Bushman, who could follow spoor with a hound, had no difficulty in keeping on the track, as fast as the three were able to travel.
They emerged into open glades; and, after passing through several of these, came upon a large ant-hill that stood in the middle of one of the openings.

The elephant had passed close to the ant-hill--he had stopped there a while--stay, he must have lain down! Von Bloom did not know that elephants were in the habit of lying down.
He had always heard it said that they slept standing.

Swartboy knew better than that.

He said that they sometimes slept standing, but oftener lay down, especially in districts where they were not much hunted.

Swartboy considered it a good sign that this one had lain down.
He reasoned from it that the elephants had not been disturbed in that neighbourhood, and would be the more easily approached and killed.