SOUTH AFRICA FIFTY YEARS AGO 81 



teeth, to ensure a supply for a long life, have always a young 

 tooth growing at the back of the alveolar process which pushes 

 out the old ones as they become worn. 



Most of my elephants were killed from horseback with the 

 shoulder-shot ; the cover is rarely thick enough to allow you 

 to get within reach on foot. Besides, on foot you can seldom 

 dispose of more than two at a time; whereas from horseback, 

 under favourable conditions, you may double or even treble that 

 number. Sometimes you must crawl in, and then, of course, 

 you take the head shot if you can get it ; but you ought to be 

 within fifteen yards, on a line parallel with your quarry, just 

 a trifle in advance, and then a ball in the lower depression, 

 or temple, will, nineteen times out of twenty, be instantly fatal. 

 I see Sir S. Baker does not believe in the front shot for 

 Africans ; but, though as a rule I agree with him entirely, I 

 certainly have killed them by this. Their heads slope so 

 much backwards, however, that it often fails. In tolerable 

 ground there is but little difficulty ; but in thick bush there 

 is always some danger, more especially if you are particular 

 in choosing your tusks ; and in riding the bull you select out 

 of the herd there is a certain amount of knack you settle 

 to him and then press him individually, disregarding the 

 rest of the herd for the time. He shoots ahead of his com- 

 panions, or turns round on you and charges ; in either case 

 you have gained your object separation. If he charges, put 

 the horse to the gallop and let him follow you, the farther the 

 better. Watch as he slacks off, keeping about twenty yards 

 ahead, and pull up sharp when he comes to a stand. He is 

 too blown to charge again, and when he turns to go after his 

 mates he must give you his side ; one or two shots properly 

 placed at short range are enough, and you are away again after 

 the flying herd. The oftener you attack the easier the victory, 

 for the heavy beasts get tired, and in consequence are much 

 less difficult to kill. 



The little elephant is an amusing imitator of the ways of his 

 elders. I have come upon cow herds with a number of very 



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