CUTTING UP THE ELEPHANT. 303 



all description. Every native there, divested of ins 

 kaross and armed with an assagai, rustied to the on- 

 slaught ; and in less than two hours every inch of the 

 elephant was gone, and carried by the different parties 

 to their respective temporary locations, which they had 

 chosen beneath each convenient tree that grew around. 



The manner in which the elephant is cut up is as 

 follows : The rough outer skin is first removed, in large 

 sheets, from the side which lies uppermost. Several 

 coats of an under skin are then met w^th. This skin 

 is of a tough and pliant nature, and is used by the na- 

 tives for making water-bags, in which they convey sup- 

 plies of water from, the nearest vley or fountain (which 

 is often ten miles distant) to the elephant. They re- 

 move this inner skin with caution, taking care not to 

 cut it with the assagai ; and it is formed into water- 

 bags by gathering the corners and edges, and transfix- 

 ing the whole on a pointed wand. The flesh is then 

 removed in enormous sheets from the ribs, wdien the 

 hatchets come into play, wdth which they chop through, 

 and remove individually, each colossal rib. The bow- 

 els are thus laid bare ; and in the removal of these the 

 leading men take a lively interest and active part, for 

 it is throughout and around the bowels that the fat of 

 the elephant is mainly found. 



There are few things w^hich a Bechuana prizes so 

 highly as fat of any description ; they will go an amaz- 

 ing distance for a small portion. of it. They use it 

 principally in cooking their sun-dried biltongue, and 

 they also eat it with their corn. The fat of the ele- 

 ptiant lies in extensive layers and sheets in his inside, 

 and the quantity which is obtained from a full-grown 

 bull, in high condition, is very great. Befoie it can 

 be obtained, the greater part of the bowels must be re- 



