THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 541 



unwilling to add novelty to novelty, and it has been a con- 

 flant praaice with thefe to make a public hunting-match 

 the firft expedition of their reign. On thcfe occafions the 

 king, attended by all the great officers of Hate, whofe merit 

 and capacity are already acknowledged, reviews his young 

 nobiUty, who all appear to the bcft advantage as to arms, 

 horfes, and equipage, with the greateft number of fervants 

 and attendants. The fcene of this hunting is always in the 

 KoUa, crowded with an immenfe number of the largeft 

 and fierceft wild beafts, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, leopards, 

 panthers, and buffaloes fiercer than them all, wild boars, 

 wild affes, and many varieties of the deer kind* 



As foon as the game is roufed, and forced out of the 

 wood by the footmen and dogs, they all fingly, or feveral to- 

 gether, according to the fize of the bcafl, or as ftrength and 

 ability in managing their horfes admit, attack the animal 

 upon the plain with long pikes or fpears, or two javelins 

 in their hands. The king, unlefs very young, fits on horfe- 

 back on a rifing ground, furrounded by the graver fort, 

 who point out to him the names of thofe of the nobility 

 that are happy enough to diftinguilli themfelves in his 

 fight. The merit of others is known by report. 



Each young man brings before the king's tent, as a tro- 

 phy, a part of the beaft he has flain ; the head and ikin of 

 a lion or leopard ; the fcalp or horns of a deer ; the private 

 parts of an elephant ; the tail of a buflTilo, or the horn of a- 

 rhinoceros. The great trouble, force, and time necccflary 

 to take out the teeth of the elephant, k-ldora make them 

 ready to be prefented with the reft of the fpoils ; fire, too, is 

 neceffary for loofing them from the jaAV. The head of a 



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