14 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



indigenous race of elephants akin to one or other may- 

 have existed in North Africa in the past, but this has so 

 far been unsupported by the discovery of any remains. 

 The impressions of elephants upon Roman coins appear, 

 by the shape of the head and body, and allowing a margin 

 for inaccuracy to the designer, to indicate the Indian 

 animal : but the writer Appian states that " the Cartha- 

 ginians, fearing an invasion by Scipio, collected and 

 trained numbers of elephants in a short time." This 

 could not have been possible if they had to be sought at 

 a great distance. 



It is undeniable that there are many apparent obstacles 

 in the way of domestication. Owing to the shape of his 

 body, which slopes considerably towards the tail, the 

 fashioning of a howdah for the African elephant must 

 necessarily present greater difficulties than that of one 

 for the Indian animal ; nor is it at all certain that the 

 negro will make a reliable and efficient mahout, being, 

 generally speaking, endowed with no natural love for, 

 or sympathy with, any of the lower animals. A still 

 more serious objection is based on economic grounds. 

 The Ethiopian region supplies, to the square mile, as 

 compared with India, but a limited amount of food suitable 

 for the animals. Elephants consume daily an immense 

 quantity of fodder, and in consequence there must be 'an 

 unlimited quantity close at hand to satisfy the wants of 

 beasts working in one place. 



Some years ago the Indian Government was approached 

 with a view to obtaining information as to what would be 

 the probable cost oi catching and domesticating thirty 

 wild African elephants per annum. It was estimated 

 that for this purpose ten trained animals, with their 

 attendants, would have to be imported from India, and 

 that the total cost for the first year, including purchase 



