AN ELEPHANT SLAUGHTER 169 



ammunition was at last exhausted. It was a revolt- 

 ing business altogether ; but even that was not the 

 end of it, as later in the day two wounded elephants 

 were seen wandering about not far from the post, 

 and Carruthers and I went out and put an end 

 to them. Not the least noteworthy feature of this 

 incident was the fact that it took place in a part 

 of the State in which it is forbidden to shoot game 

 of any description at any period of the year, and, in 

 theory at least, no Congo official is ever allowed 

 to shoot an elephant. 



With the wholesale importation of firearms and 

 the construction of roads and railways and telegraph 

 lines, the fate of the African elephant is sealed. 

 Though there are still immense numbers in some 

 remote districts, there are larger areas from which 

 they have quite disappeared. It is to be hoped 

 that, either in British or Congo territory, a tract of 

 country will be proclaimed a sanctuary for elephants, 

 where they may breed undisturbed and contribute to 

 the future wonderment of mankind. But otherwise, 

 brutal though it may sound, the sooner they become 

 extinct the better ; they are exceedingly dangerous 

 animals, they do untold damage to crops of every 

 kind, and the traffic in ivory seems to be inseparable 

 from cruelty and a good deal of very questionable 

 dealing. 



The Congo Government kindly lent us their steel 

 whaleboat, in which we made the voyage to the south 

 side of Lake Albert Edward ; it was a good deal 



