ELEPHANT HUNTING. 537 



action and association which had rendered the character of 

 Pioneer and Hunter-Naturalist nearly synonomous in renown 

 here, had still more to do with this result in affording the most 

 extraordinary and illustrious instances of individual heroism 

 the world ever saw. Men became emulous of this personal 

 glory, with which the association of single names with the 

 conquest of empires, first with mere handfulls of followers, as 

 with Cortez and Pizarro, and afterwards through all unex- 

 pected disparities of numbers, down to the solitary man, as 

 with Boone, had been made so familiar since the discovery 

 of the New World. If there were no new worlds to discover, 

 there were at least new regions to explore; if there were 

 no more Perus or Mexicos to conquer, there were great herds 

 of peaceful elephants browsing the unpenetrated forests of the 

 vast interior of Africa, in the hunt of which energies as rest- 

 less and irrepressible could be expended. Thus the pacific 

 and curious traveller, such as Bruce, or "more merchant- 

 like," as Marco Paulo and Sir John Mandeville, has given 

 place to such Nimrods on parole as Major W. Cornwallis 

 Harris, R. Gorden Cummings, etc., of the British army in 

 South Africa, who have lately made themselves illustrious as 

 having gone forth if not literally 



" With a pine 



For a spear, 'gainst the mammoth," 



at least practically, with their short rifles against 



" foaming behemoth." 



The adventures of these men open a new and very curious, 

 as well as striking chapter of "Wild Scenes and Wild 

 Hunters" in the old world. Each tells his own story with the 

 characteristic extravagance of the adventurer ; but this con- 

 sists more in expression than fact. They are both inspired 

 with the genuine spirit of the " Hunter-Naturalist," and in 

 their eager emulation of securing " trophies" of specimens, 



