186 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
ADVENTURE WITH AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT 
T is fortunate indeed that Mr. Carl E. Akeley is recovering from the 
rather serious injuries received while elephant hunting in Africa this 
past summer. He came upon a herd unexpectedly and before he 
could take aim at the giant fellow nearest, the huge tusks were immediately 
upon him. Mr. Akeley swung himself between the tusks, grasping one 
with each hand, but was borne to the ground under the elephant’s trunk 
and body. Ina letter of July 20 to Director Hermon C. Bumpus, he writes: 
Four weeks ago, while in quest of a spot to make studies for the elephant group, 
I ran on to the trail of several bulls. The trail was old, but I followed it and came 
up with the herd the next day quite unexpectedly in dense Jungle. One of them saw 
me first, used me for a “prayer rug’”’ and got off scot-free. I can walk a little now, 
and have reason to hope that in another month I may be able to return to the forest, 
though it may be much longer before I can undertake the work of caring for an 
elephant’s skin. I should like to meet once more the elephant who drew first on me. 
Mr. Akeley, the noted collector of big African game, has had much 
previous experience in elephant hunting. He is responsible for the ele- 
phants as well as for the taxidermy work in connection with the group in 
the central foyer of the Field Columbian Museum, a group masterly in its 
action and in its portrayal of animal character. But the risk in elephant 
hunting is always great even to the experienced. As Colonel Roosevelt 
says: ‘...there are few careers more adventurous, or fraught with more 
peril, or which make heavier demands upon the daring, the endurance, and 
the physical hardihood of those who follow them.” 
Mr. Akeley left New York in the summer of 1908 for British East Africa 
to make collections for the American Museum, especially to insure an ele- 
phant group for the African Hall. His aim has been, therefore, not only 
to get elephants but also studies and materials for the reproduction of their 
habitat. It was this that took him to Mount Kenia, the place from which 
his last letter was sent; on this mountain he reports elephants living at an 
elevation of 1400 feet. His work of getting possession of the elephants has 
been slow of achievement because most of the great tuskers have fallen 
before the continual raids for the ivory trade. Quoting again from his 
letter: 
Since January, I have inspected well over one thousand elephants here and in 
Uganda, but have not been fortunate in finding the desired perfect specimens. I 
am determined that the old bull shall be as near right as possible even if it takes 
another year. Uganda is undoubtedly the place to get big elephants, but they are 
becoming rare. They are hounded incessantly by sportsmen, poachers, traders and 
