CHAP, iv THE ELEPHANT 71 



to those of a human being, therefore a backward kick would 

 seem unnatural ; but the elephant can kick both backwards and 

 forwards with equal dexterity, and this constitutes a special means 

 of defence against an enemy, which seldom escapes when exposed to 

 such a game between the fore and hind feet of the infuriated animal. 



Although it is generally believed that an elephant moves the 

 legs upon each side simultaneously, like the camel, it does not 

 actually touch the ground with each foot upon the same side at 

 exactly the same moment, but the fore foot touches the surface 

 first, rapidly followed by the hind, and in both cases the heel is 

 the first portion of the foot that reaches its destination. The 

 effect may be seen in the feet of an elephant after some months' 

 continual marching upon hard ground : the heels are worn thin 

 and are quite polished, as though they had been worn down by the 

 friction of sand-paper, in fact, they are in the same condition as 

 the heels of an old boot. 



The Indian native princes do not admire the African elephant, 

 as it combines many points which are objectionable to their peculiar 

 ideas of elephantine proportions. According to their views, the 

 hollow back of an African elephant would amount to a deformity. 

 The first time that I ever saw a large male of that variety I was 

 of the same opinion. I was hunting with the Hamran Arabs in a 

 wild and uninhabited portion of Abyssinia, along the banks of the 

 Settite river, which is the main stream of the Atbara, the chief 

 affluent of the Nile. 



As before stated, I have already published an account of these 

 wonderful hunters in the Nile Tributaries of A lyssinia, and it is 

 sufficient to describe them as the most fearless and active followers 

 of the chase, armed with no other weapon than the long, straight, 

 two-edged Arab sword, with which they attack all animals, from 

 the elephant and rhinoceros to the lion and buffalo. The sword 

 is sharpened to the finest degree, and the blade is protected for 

 about six inches above the cross-hilt with thick string, bound 

 tightly round so as to afford a grip for the right hand, while the 

 left grips the hilt in the usual manner. This converts the ordinary 

 blade into a two-handed sword, a blow from which will sever a 

 naked man into two halves if delivered at the waist. It may be 

 imagined that a quick cut from such a formidable weapon will at 

 once divide the hamstring of any animal. The usual method of 

 attacking the elephant is as follows : Three, or at the most four 

 mounted hunters sally forth in quest of game. When the fresh 

 tracks of elephants are discovered they are steadily followed up 

 until the herd, or perhaps the single animal, is found. If a large 



