336 THE ELEPHANT. 



grass before her enormous weight, uttered a deep, 

 hoarse cry, and expired." 



Dogs, in elephant-hunting, whether on horseback 

 or on foot (with the exception, of course, when one 

 is " stalking") I take to be the most valuable of 

 auxiliaries ; for by diverting the attention of the 

 creature, the danger to the sportsman is very 

 greatly lessened that is, provided they do their 

 duty ; for if, in the event of the beast's pursuing 

 them, as is not uufrequently the case, they, instead 

 of boldly facing the enemy, run for shelter to the 

 heels of their owner, they only serve to increase his 

 peril. A striking instance to this effect once oc- 

 curred to Gordon Gumming, who, after telling us 

 that the elephant he was in pursuit of, being sorely 

 harassed by his dogs, had backed into cover, goes 

 on to say : 



" But I was not long in coming up with him, 

 and running in, gave him two fine shots behind the 

 shoulder. The dogs also gave tongue, and the 

 consequence was a terrific charge, his tormentors 

 (the dogs) at once making for their master, thus 

 bringing the elephant right down upon me. I had 

 no time to gain my saddle, but ran for my life. 

 The dogs, fortunately, took off after Sunday (the 

 horse), who, alarmed at the trumpeting, dashed 

 frantically away ; and although, in the midst of a 

 most dangerous affray, I could not refrain from 

 laughing." 



It is chiefly by the aid of dogs, which distract 

 the elephant's attention from themselves, that the 

 Bushmen, and other natives of Southern Africa, are 



