SAGACITY AND AFFECTION. 203 



Even when domesticated, especially during the 

 love season, the elephant, according to Mr. Corse, 

 not uufrequently evinces blind fury, at least towards 

 his congeners. On one occasion this gentleman 

 saw a stately male elephant gore two smaller ones, 

 in the midst of the herd, in a terrific manner. 

 " When the poor animals were thrown down, con- 

 scious of their impending fate, they roared most 

 piteously ; but notwithstanding their prostrate 

 situation and submissive cries, he unfeelingly and 

 deliberately drove his tusks through them, and 

 transfixed them to the ground." 



But whether or not the elephant be the harmless 

 creature he is represented by many, certain it is 

 that to the sportsman he is the most formidable of 

 all the beasts, the lion not excepted, that roam the 

 African wilds; and few there are who make the 

 pursuit of him a profession, that do not, sooner or 

 later, come to grief of some kind. 



Elephants, at times, show much solicitude for, 

 and attachment to, each other, and many instances 

 are on record in which, when one of these animals 

 has been wounded and disabled, a comrade has 

 come to the rescue. A very affecting incident of 

 the kind is related by Moodie. 



" On this occasion," says that gentleman, when 

 describing a hunt, " we witnessed a touching in- 

 stance of affection and sagacity in the elephant, which 

 deserves to be related, as it so clearly illustrates the 

 character of the noble animal. Seeing the danger 

 and distress of her mate, the female from which I 

 so narrowly escaped, regardless of her o\vu danger, 



