55 2 UNGULATES. 



the whole known world had been ransacked by the Romans for beasts for their 

 public shows; and I still think it possible that the Carthaginians the great 

 traders and colonisers of old may have obtained elephants, through some of these 

 colonies, from India." From the disposition of " Jumbo," it may be inferred that 

 the species could be as easily tamed, and would prove as docile as the Indian 

 elephant ; but there is the difficulty that the natives of Africa probably could not 

 be trained to act as efficient drivers, and without a dependable native attendant 

 the best elephant would be worse than useless. 



The general testimony of those who have had experience of both 

 mg> the African and the Indian elephant points to the conclusion that the 

 former is the more dangerous animal of the two, and the one that is more ready 

 to charge. The females, especially those that are barren and have small tusks, are 

 said to be far more dangerous than males, frequently charging without the least 

 provocation, even when un wounded ; and it is stated that hunters will sometimes 

 take the trouble to kill one of these worthless females before attacking the tuskers. 

 Indeed, Mr. W. H. Drummond is of opinion that the greater number of accidents 

 that have occurred in African elephant-shooting may be set down to females. 

 From the testimony of Gordon Gumming, supported by that of the writer last 

 quoted, it would appear that the African elephant, unlike its Indian cousin, charges 

 with its trunk uplifted, and loudly trumpeting. 



Previous to the introduction of firearms, it appears that in South 



and South-Eastern Africa, at any rate, the natives but seldom attacked 

 the elephant, and effected little, if any, diminution in its numbers. Occasionally, 

 as narrated by Livingstone, they attacked the unfortunate animal with assegais, 

 and gradually harried it to death from the loss of blood caused by hundreds of 

 weapons. In other cases poisoned arrows were the weapons used. A more general 

 method is that of digging pits in the paths frequented by the elephants on their 

 way to water. These pits, according to Sir S. Baker, are usually twelve or fourteen 

 feet in depth, and are covered with light wood and branches or reeds, upon which 

 a thin covering of grass is spread. In some cases Sir Samuel states that several 

 individuals out of a herd may be captured in this manner in Central Africa ; the 

 animals being put to death, when thus helpless, with spears. In the Kilima-Njaro 

 district, however, the pit system, according to Mr. Hunter, does not appear to be 

 very successful. 



During the dry season, when the grass of ten or fourteen feet in 



height is as inflammable as tinder, the natives of Central Africa have 

 a cruel way of killing elephants by forming a circle of fire round a herd. As the 

 fiery circle, which may be a couple of miles in diameter, gradually contracts, the 

 elephants (to quote from Sir S. Baker's graphic description) " at first attempt to 

 retreat, until they become assured of their hopeless position ; they at length become 

 desperate, being maddened by fear, and panic-stricken by the wild shouts of the 

 thousands who have surrounded them. At length, half-sufibcated by the dense 

 smoke, and terrified by the close approach of the roaring flames, the unfortunate 

 animals charge recklessly through the fire, burnt and blinded, to be ruthlessly 

 speared by the bloodthirsty crowd awaiting this last stampede." As many as a 

 hundred, or even more, may be, it is said, killed by this method on a single occasion. 



