THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



299 



This nonfenfe he verily believes the elephant imderftands, 

 who, chafed and angry at hearing the noife immediately 

 before him, feeks to feize him with his trunk or probofcis, 

 and, intent upon this, follows the horfe everywhere, turn- 

 ing and turning round with him, negleeTiful of making 

 his efcape by running ftraight forward, in which confifts 

 his only fafety. After having made him turn once or twice 

 in piirfuit of the horfe, the horfeman rides clofe up a- 

 long-fide of him, and drops his companion juft behind on 

 the off fide ; and while he engages the elephant's attention 

 upon the horfe, the footman behind gives him a drawn 

 ftroke juft above the heel, or what in man is called the 

 tendon of Achilles. This is the critical moment; the horfe- 

 man immediately wheels round, and takes his companion 

 up behind him, and rides off full fpeed after the reft of the 

 herd, if they have ftarted more than one ; and fometimes 

 an expert Agageer will kill three out of one herd. If the 

 fword is good, and the man not afraid, the tendon is com- 

 monly entirely feparated; and if it is not cut through, it is 

 generally fo far divided, that the animal, with the ftrefs he 

 puts upon it, breaks the remaining part afunder. In either 

 cafe, he remains incapable of advancing a ftep, till the horfe- 

 man returning, or his companions coming up, pierce him 

 through with javelins and lances; he then falls to the ground, 

 and expires with the lofs of blood. 



The Agageer neareft me prefently lamed his elephant, 

 and left him ftanding. A) to Engedan, Ayto Confu,Guebra 

 Mariam, and feveral others, fixed their fpears in the other, 

 before the Agageer had cut his tendons. My Agageer, 

 however, having wounded the firft elephant, failed in the 

 purfuit of the fecond, and, being clofe upon him at enter- 



P p 2 ing 



