i6o THE GREAT THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS 



inhabitants; and delighted much in visiting the shops, particularly 

 those which sold herbs and fruit, where he was well received, except 

 by a couple of brutal cobblers, who, without any cause, took offense at 

 the generous creature, and once or twice attempted to wound his 

 proboscis with their awls. The noble animal, who knew it was beneath 

 him to crush them, did not disdain to chastise them by other means. 

 He filled his large trunk with a considerable quantity of water, not of 

 the cleanest quality, and advancing to them as usual, covered them at 

 once with a dirty flood. The fools were laughed at, and the punish- 

 ment applauded. 



The Elephant's Courage. — An elephant, with a good driver, 

 gives, perhaps, the best instance of disciplined courage to be seen in 

 the animal world. Elephants will submit, day after day, to have pain- 

 ful wounds dressed in obedience to their keepers, and meet danger in 

 obedience to their orders, though their intelligence is sufficient to 

 understand the peril, and far too great for man to trick them into 

 a belief that there is no risk. No animal will face danger more 

 readily at man's bidding. As an example, it is told that a small female 

 elephant was charged by a buffalo, in high grass, and her rider, in the 

 hurry of the moment, and perhaps owing to the sudden stoppage of 

 the elephant, fired an explosive shell from his rifle, not into the 

 buffalo, but into the elephant's shoulder. The wound was so severe, 

 that it had not healed a year later. Yet the elephant stood firm, 

 although it was gored by the buffalo, which was then killed by another 

 gun. 



The elephant is usually gregarious and is common in the exten- 

 sive plains and forests of the interior. Unfortunately they have been 

 hunted down for their ivory during so many years that the supply is 

 diminishing. 



There are many ways of hunting an elephant. The most common 

 among sportsmen is to follow the trail on horseback up to within 

 sight of the desired specimen and being careful to ride "up the wind," 

 or so as to keep the wind blowing from the elephants toward the 

 hunter. Their sense of smell is a very keen one and should the wind 

 shift and blow for an instant from the hunter's direction they would 

 be off with squeals of anger and dismay. Due care having been 



