THE RAINY SEASON 



the cutting-up is completed, and I go in search of the 

 bull. Guided by the vultures, I find the carcase in a 

 state of decomposition at a distance of more than a 

 dozen kilometres from the place where I fired. Un- 

 fortunately, I am not the first to discover it ; some 

 natives, devoid of conscientious scruples, have stolen 

 the tusks, of which I estimate the weight at about 

 29 lbs. In spite of the promise of a pardon and even 

 of a reward, the thieves never returned them to me. 

 I deeply regret the loss. 



Elephants in this colony are still fairly numerous 

 between the Pungwe" and the Zambezi. They are, 

 unfortunately, of greatly inferior size to those of Central 

 Africa, and carry but poor ivory. A bull with tusks 

 weighing 29 lbs. would be regarded as a good average. 

 What is this alongside the tusks of 96, 120, or 144 lbs. 

 which are common on the march to Zanzibar ? 



There is also a very large proportion of females, 

 and even of males, without tusks, whose irascible dis- 

 positions render hunting them particularly dangerous. 



Whatever may happen, I shall never forget these 

 hours of a specially exciting chase ; neither shall I 

 ever forget the sight of three giant elephants, crashing 

 through the dense undergrowth of the bush with as 

 much ease as if they were trampling down the ears in 

 a cornfield. 



(103) 



