CHAPTER XXIII 



SUPERSTITION AND A SEQUEL 



EVERYTHING connected with elephant hunting 

 and the buying and selling of ivory is inseparably 

 interwoven in the native mind with an extraordinary 

 medley of superstition ; and the snake, which has, 

 through all the ages, awakened in the human 

 imagination a sense of mystery mingled with horror, 

 plays a prominent part in these strange beliefs. For 

 instance, should a hunter, while hunting, suddenly 

 encounter a snake, more especially a puff-adder, he 

 considers the meeting a good augury. On the 

 other hand, should he meet a chameleon, it 

 is an extremely inauspicious omen, and to kill the 

 reptile only makes matters worse. 



While on the spoor of elephants, I frequently 

 encounter snakes and my trackers, on such 

 occasions, never fail to presage that the result of the 

 hunt will be favourable, and, though I usually laugh 

 at their predictions, I must admit that in most 

 instances they turn out true. Whenever this is the 



