OTHER ANIMALS DREAD THE ELEPHANT. 397 



neck ; its body heaved and quivered for a moment, and the 

 next instant the poor animal was dead. It had received 

 several deep gashes about the flanks and chest, caused by the 

 claws and teeth of its fierce assailants. The strong and 

 tough muscles of the neck were also bitten through. 



All thought of pursuing the wounded lion was now out 

 of the question. The natives remained gorging on the carcass 

 of the camelopard until it was devoured. A day or two 

 afterward, however, I had the good fortune to fall in with 

 my royal antagonist, and finished him without much difii- 

 culty. 



At Kobis and the neighborhood I enjoyed shooting to per- 

 fection.* But I had many hair-breadth escapes from ele- 

 phants and rhinoceroses. 



* The cut on the next page represents one of those numerous and 

 exciting scenes that I have witnessed at night, at the water, when 

 lying in ambush for game. There is one fact — a fact that has hitherto 

 escaped the attention of the African sportsman — connected with this 

 illustration that makes it particularly interesting, and which induced 

 me to designate it "The Approach of Elephants." The animals are 

 just appearing above the distant hill. If the spring or pool, as the 

 case may be, be of small extent, all the animals present will invariably 

 retire from the water as soon as they are aware of the presence of the 

 elephants, of whom they appear to have an instinctive dread, and will 

 remain at a respectful distance until the giants have quenched their 

 thirst. Thus, lorn; before I have seen, or even heard the elephants,, 

 I have been warned of their approach by the symptoms of uneasiness 

 displayed by sucli animals as happened to be drinking at the time. 

 The giraffe, for instance, begins to sway his long neck to and fro; 

 the zebra utters subdued, plaintive cries ; the gnoo glides away with a 

 noiseless step; and even the ponderous and quarrelsome black rhinoc- 

 eros, when he has time for reflection, will pull up short in his walk to 

 listen ; then, turning round, he listens again, and, if he feel satisfied 

 that his suspicions are correct, he invariably makes off, usually giving 

 vent to his fear or ire by one of his vicious and peculiar snorts. Once, 

 it is true, I saw a rhinocei'os drinking together with a herd of seven 

 male elephants; but then he was of the white species, and, besides, I 

 do not believe that eitlier party knew of each other's proximity. 



