360 THE ELEPHANT. 



" As soon as the elephant is found feeding, the 

 horseman rides before him as near his face as pos- 

 sible; or, if he flies, crosses him in all directions, 

 crying out, ' I am such a man and such a man ; this 

 is my horse, that has such a name ; I killed your 

 father in such a place, and your grandfather in such 

 another; and I am now come to kill you ; you are 

 but an ass in comparison with them.' This non- 

 sense he verily believes the elephant understands. 

 Furious and angry at hearing the noise imme- 

 diately before him, he seeks to seize him with his 

 trunk or proboscis ; and, intent upon this, follows 

 the horse everywhere, turning round with him, 

 and neglecting to make his escape by running 

 straight forward, in which consists his only chance of 

 safety. After having made him turn once or twice 

 in pursuit of the horse, the horseman rides close up 

 alongside of him, and drops his companion just be- 

 hind on the off side ; and while he engages the 

 elephant's attention upon the horse, the footman 

 behind gives him a drawn stroke just above the 

 heel, or what in man is called the tendon Achilles. 

 This is the critical moment; the horseman imme- 

 diately wheels round, takes his companion up be- 

 hind him, and rides off full speed after the rest of 

 the herd, if they have started more than one. 

 Sometimes an expert Aggajeer will kill three out of 

 one herd. If the sword is good, and the man not 

 afraid, the tendon is commonly entirely separated ; 

 and if it is not cut through, it is generally so far 

 divided that the animal, with the stress he puts 

 upon it, breaks the remaining part asunder. In 



