ELEPHANT, TAPIR, HYRAX, RHINOCEROS 155 



In disposition both African and Asiatic elephants are as a rule timid animals, and, excepting 

 in the case of males of the latter species when suffering from sexual excitement, are always 

 inclined to shun danger. 1 have never heard of male elephants of the African species becoming 

 savage and aggressive at any season of the year ; indeed, old bulls always appeared to me to be 

 less inclined to charge than cows or young bulls. The eyesight of the elephant — of the African 

 species at least — is bad, and his hearing not particularly acute; but his olfactory nerves are prob- 

 ably more highly developed than in any other animal, and, aided by this exquisite sense of smell, 

 he will avoid a human being if possible. Hut if elephants are attacked and wounded, they 

 become savage and dangerous animals ; and the charge of an African elephant, coming on with 

 the great ears outspread, to the accompaniment of a quick succession of short, sharp trumpeting 

 screams, besides being very sudden and rapid, is very disconcerting to the nerves of a man unac- 

 customed to such experiences. I remember the case of a young Englishman who was killed in 

 Matabililand many years ago by the first elephant he had ever seen. This animal — an old bull 

 — had retired, after having been wounded, into a small but dense patch of thorn-bush, into which 

 its pursuer thought it (inadvisable to follow on horseback. He therefore left his horse, and 

 advanced on foot towards the cluster of trees amongst which the elephant was concealed. The 

 latter, having either seen or smelt the approaching enemy, at once charged out, screaming 

 loudly; and the young hunter, instead of standing his ground and firing at the advancing 

 monster, lost his presence of mind, and, turning, ran for his horse; but before he reached it he 

 was overtaken and killed. It seemed to the friend who found his body (he was close at hand 

 shooting another elephant at the time, and pieced the story together from the tracks of man, 

 horse, and elephant) that the victim had first been struck in the back of the head by one of his 

 pursuer's tusks — at any rate his skull had been smashed to pieces and emptied of its brains. 

 Then the elephant had rushed upon him where he fell, and, after first having driven a tusk right 

 through his chest and deep into the ground, had stamped him into a bloody pulp with his huge 



INDIAN ELEPHANTS BATHING 



These animals love a batb t and ivill ivalk en the bottom of a deep river ivitb only tbet'r trunks raised above the 'wat-r 



