GREGARIOUS HABITS. 297 



and are found singly or in pairs, or consorting 

 together in small herds, varying, say, from four or 

 five to fifteen or twenty ; and it is only in the rainy 

 season, extending from February to May, during 

 which time, it is said, few hunters go in pur- 

 suit of these animals, that they (the old bulls) are 

 with the females ; and when the cold weather seta 

 in, they again retire from the company of the 

 latter. 



Though I myself have never seen any very great 

 number of elephants congregated together perhaps 

 not more than from one hundred to one hundred 

 and fifty yet other South African travellers have 

 met with very enormous herds of those animals. 

 Both Harris and Oswell have seen, they tell us, 

 about three hundred in company. This number, 

 however, is as nothing compared with what we 

 read of on the East coast. It is asserted, indeed, 

 that in an extensive forest in that part of Africa 

 known as the " Fish River Bush" (where, from the 

 extent and denseness of the cover, elephants are 

 comparatively safe from persecution), no fewer than 

 fifteen hundred have been seen in the course of ;i 

 single day ! 



Mr. Rose, an engineer officer who travelled in 

 South Africa, goes even further. He informs us 

 that a certain hunter of his acquaintance told him 

 that he had once seen a herd consisting of three 



o 



thousand elephants ; and from the number i>l 

 paths he (Mr. Rose) himself observed, he imagined 

 there was no exaggeration in the account. 



Without intending to tlir<>\v the shadow of a 



