74 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



companion seizes the bridle, and with one dexterous two- 

 handed blow he severs the back sinew. He immediately 

 jumps out of the way and remounts his horse ; but, if the 

 blow is successful, the elephant becomes disabled by the 

 first pressure of its foot upon the ground ; the enormous 

 weight of the animal dislocates the joint, and it is ren- 

 dered helpless. The hunter who has hitherto, led the 

 elephant turns immediately, and, riding to within a few 

 feet of the trunk, he induces the animal to attempt 

 another charge. This, clumsily made, affords an easy 

 opportunity for the aggageers behind to slash the sinew 

 of the remaining leg, and the immense brute is reduced 

 to a standstill, and it dies of loss of blood in a short 

 time, thus positively killed by one man with two strokes of 

 the sword ! This extraordinary hunting is attended with 

 superlative danger, and the hunters frequently fall victims 

 to their intrepidity.' 



The book from which this is quoted is invaluable to 

 us as a general guide, although our route has not been 

 quite the same ; and so careful has the author been in all 

 his minor details, that it is difficult to find much new 

 material for insertion in this diary. The pictures are an 

 endless source of amusement to all the natives, from the 

 Sheik downwards, and it is quite absurd to watch the 

 slow way in which they turn over leaf upon leaf, lest by 

 any chance one should be missed. 



Our four hunters are named Hassan, Essafi, Mo- 



