MAKES TRACKS THROUGH TUB JUNGLE. 



up a hill. At the extremity of the path was a Kraal, 

 consisting of a dozen huts, inhabited by Caffres, 

 who were all sunk in profound sleep. These huts, 

 unfortunately, were unprotected by a dry thorn 

 fence. The leading elephant, probably by mistake7 

 crushed one of these huts. The inhabitants uttered 

 fearful cries ; the animal then took fright ; but in- 

 stead of returning the way he came, he, followed 

 by his comrades in succession, passed at a rapid 

 pace over the hut, whereby four persons were 

 crushed to death by their feet." 



We read, moreover, that when on one occasion 

 there was a great drought in the country about 

 Benzuela, on the West Coast of Africa, a large 

 herd of elephants attacked the town, to get pos- 

 session of the wells, and were only driven away 

 by the inhabitants after a hard fight. 



But though the elephant, from the destruction he 

 causes in the forest, and the ravages he occasionally 

 commits on the properties of the Colonists and 

 others, has a somewhat bad name, yet, as a set 

 off, he makes excellent path-ways, or tracks, through 

 the entangled jungle. Many of these, indeed^ have 

 proved of the greatest advantage to the pioneer of 

 civilization. I, for my own part, have frequently 

 taken advantage of them, for, besides being wide and 

 open, they are wonderfully straight, so much so 

 that in many instances it would be difficult to im- 

 prove upon them. 



As with the lion, the natives of Southern Africa 

 entertain many very curious notions respecting the 

 elephant. According to popular belief the animal, 



