He desired once more to revisit the scenes where he had so long dwelt in peaceful happiness; he desired once more to establish himself among his friends and acquaintances of former days, in the picturesque district of the Graaf Reinet.

Indeed, to have remained any longer in his wilderness home could have served no purpose.
It is true he had grown very much attached to his wild hunter-life, but it was no longer likely to be profitable.

The elephants had completely forsaken the neighbourhood of the camp, and not one was to be found within twenty miles of the spot.

They had become well acquainted with the report of the long roer, and knew the dangerous character of that weapon; they had learnt that of all their enemies man was the one to be especially dreaded and shunned; and they had grown so shy of his presence, that the hunters frequently passed whole weeks without setting their eyes upon a single elephant.
But this was no longer an object of solicitude with Von Bloom.

Other considerations now occupied his mind, and he did not care much if he should never spoor another of these huge quadrupeds.