A POWERFUL SWIMMER. 259 



the elephant, my friend, Green, remarks, " As with 

 most other elephant-hunters, I, at one time, enter- 

 tained the impression that a deep-rutted ' spoor ' 

 was a sure indication of an old bull; but T now 

 find it no criterion whatever. Many young bulls 

 have deeper rutted soles to their feet than old ones. 

 I think it entirely depends on the nature of the soil 

 of the country they are accustomed to ; for in- 

 stance : if a sandy soil, their ruts will be found very 

 deep and rough ; but if, on the contrary, a stony 

 country, they will be the reverse ; in some cases, 

 indeed, worn completely smooth. If, contrary to 

 this rule, an elephant be killed in a sandy country, 

 with the soles of his feet smooth, then he is 

 sure to have lately left a strange district, and 

 vice versa." 



The elephant is a capital swimmer, and takes to 

 the water freely when in search of food. He swims 

 deep ; so much so, indeed, that the end of his pro- 

 boscis only is out of the water. With this instru- 

 ment for breathing, however, he will fearlessly cross 

 the most mighty rivers of the African continent. 



s 2 



