182 THE ELEPHANT. 



"When they find an elephant, they approach very 

 carefully. The object is to scare him, and make him 

 run towards some part of the barrier, generally not 

 far off. To accomplish this, they often crawl at their 

 full length along the ground, just like snakes, and with 

 astonishing swiftness. 



" The first idea of the animal is flight. He rushes 

 ahead almost blindly, but is brought up by the barrier 

 of vines. Enraged and still more terrified, he tears 

 everything with his trunk and feet, but in vain ; and 

 the more he labours, the more fatally he is held. 



"Meantime, at the first rush of the elephant, the 

 natives crowd round, and while he is struggling in 

 their toils they are plying him with spears, often from 

 trees, till the poor wounded beast looks like a huge 

 porcupine. The spearing does not cease till they have 

 killed their prey. 



"To-day we killed four elephants in this way. The 

 elephants about here have the reputation of holding 

 man in slight fear, and tho approach and attack are 

 work for the greatest courage and presence of mind. 

 Even then fatal accidents occur. 



"To-day a man was killed. I was not present at the 

 accident, but he seems to have lost his presence of 

 mind, and when the elephant charged with great fury 

 at a crowd of assailants, he was caught, and instantly 

 trampled under foot." 



