THE ELEPHANT. 153 



Elephant hunting in Abyssinia. 



or bushes in making their escape from this vigi- 

 lant enemy, get on horseback. One of them sits 

 on the back of the horse, sometimes with a sad- 

 dle, and sometimes without one, with only a 

 switch or short stick in one hand, carefully ma- 

 naging the bridle with the other; behind him 

 sits his companion, armed with a broad-sword. 

 His left hand is employed in grasping this wea- 

 pon by the handle ; and in the other hand he 

 holds the blade, of which about fourteen inches 

 are covered with whip-cord; and, though 

 the edges of the lower part of the sword are 

 as sharp as a razor, he carries it without a 

 scabbard. 



As soon as an elephant is discovered, the 

 horseman rides as near to his face as possible; or, 

 if he attempt to escape, crosses him in all direc- 

 tions, exclaiming, " I am such a one, and such 

 a one, and such a one, this is my horse, that has 

 such a name ; I killed your father in such a place, 

 and your grandfather in such another place, and 

 I am now come to kill you, who are nothing in 

 comparison with them." This nonsense the ele- 

 phant is supposed to understand; who, chafed 

 and angry at hearing the noise immediately be* 

 fore him, attempts to seize the Agageer with his 

 trunk; and, intent upon this, follows the horse 

 every where, turning round and round with him, 

 neglecting to make his escape by running straight 

 forward, in which consists his only safety. After 

 having made him turn a few times in pursuit of 



NO. IV. U 



