In the gold of early evening they set out from camp in Anthony’s vehicle. A picnic basket with tea and biscuits was in the back of the car. Behind the driver’s seat, a fitted rack held a variety of reference books on animals and birds, trees and wild flowers. The roof hatches were open so that they could all stand up on the canvas-covered seats and enjoy an uninterrupted view. The land seemed endless, streaming away from them towards a range of purple hills in the north. Piet sat on the roof, his bare legs dangling down through the hatch. Sarah longed for him to stretch out a foot and nudge her deliberately, but his eyes and thoughts were focused on the far distance as he searched for elephant and buffalo, or the stealthy movement of a cat in the tawny grass. The only sounds around them were bird calls, and the gradual crescendo of insects and frogs as they started up their evening symphony. As they rounded a corner there was a crackling of twigs and branches and Anthony came to an immediate halt. Blocking the track was a young male elephant, engaged in scratching his rump against the bark of a tree. He made brief eye contact with the intruders and then continued with his satisfying task. They waited as he placed his trunk delicately in the sandy soil and siphoned up a mound of dust which he blew all over his back. Sarah’s camera shutter clicked and clicked again. She bent down to pull another roll of film from her camera bag and dropped the entire holder on to the floor of the vehicle, scattering lenses and film. The elephant paused and looked directly at the small group, as if seeing them for the first time. His vast ears fanned out on either side of his head and he began to paw the ground with one leg, moving forward purposefully, creating puffs of dust with each measured step.

‘Better give him some space,’ Anthony said. ‘He’s decided we’re in his way.’ He turned on the engine and began to reverse down the road. The elephant followed, walking a little faster now, his trunk waving from side to side, ears flapping like giant paddle fans.

‘He means to see us off properly.’ Anthony remained calm and steady at the wheel. ‘I’ll have to keep backing away until I can find a place to turn. He’s speeding up. Get down into the car. I may have to take a bumpy detour, and we’re coming to a corner.’