368 THE ELEPHANT. 



hunters, and my heart was drawn towards these 

 Aggajeers; we fraternized on the spot, and I looked 

 forward with intense pleasure to the day when we 

 might become allies in action." 



After Sir Samuel had associated with them, and 

 had been an eye-witness to their wonderful per- 

 formances, he adds : 



" I have been rewarded by this alliance in being 

 now able to speak of the deeds of others that far 

 excel my own, and of bearing testimony to the won- 

 derful courage and dexterity of these Nimrods, 

 instead of continually relating anecdotes of dangers 

 in the first person, which cannot be more disagree- 

 able to the reader than to the narrator." 



To proceed after this long digression. Besides 

 being hunted on horseback and on foot in the day- 

 time, and shot during the hours of darkness, when 

 repairing to the water to quench its thirst, the poor 

 elephant is destroyed by the natives of Southern 

 Africa by a variety of other means. 



Occasionally, as said, it is taken in the " pitfall," 

 in such as are dug for the rhinoceros, the giraffe, 

 or other of the larger denizens of the African wilds ; 

 but, with the exception of calves, this is a some- 

 what rare occurrence, the great sagacity of the 

 animal enabling it, in most instances, to avoid 

 the toils. 



Another plan is for the hunter to conceal himself 

 amongst the branches of some umbrageous tree, 

 under which the elephant is accustomed to take 

 shelter during the noon-tide heats, and when the 

 unfortunate creature makes its appearance, to let 



