334* THE ELEPHANT. 



tance in an African landscape : wherever they 

 march, the forests seem to fall before them ; in 

 their passage, they bear down the branches upon 

 which they feed ; and, if they enter into an en- 

 closure, they destroy all the labours of the hus- 

 bandman in a very short time. Their invasions 

 are the more disagreeable, as there is no means 

 of repelling them, since it would require a small 

 army to attack the whole drove when united. It 

 now and then happens that one or two is found 

 lingering behind the rest, and it is against these 

 that the art and force of the hunters are united ; 

 but an attempt to molest the whole body would 

 certainly be fatal. They go forward directly 

 against him who offers the insult, strike him with 

 their tusks, seize him with their trunks, fling him 

 into the air, and then trample him to pieces un- 

 der their feet. But they are thus dreadful only 

 when offended, and do no manner of personal in- 

 jury when suffered to feed without interruption. 

 It is even said that they are mindful of injuries 

 received, and when once molested by man, seek 

 all occasions for the future to be revenged ; they 

 smell him with their long trunks at a distance ; 

 follow him with all their speed upon the scent ; 

 and, though slow to appearance, they are soon 

 able to come up with and destroy him. 



In their natural state, they delight to live along 

 the sides of rivers, to keep in the deepest vales, 

 to refresh themselves in the most shady forests 

 and watery places. They cannot live far from 

 the water, and they always disturb it before they 

 drink. They often fill their trunk with it, either 



