PACHYDERMATA. 173 



ka, whose arm and several ribs were broken in the 

 conflict. In this maimed condition, the chief suc- 

 ceeded in effecting his escape."* 



The Elephant is -pursued with much eagerness by 

 the natives of South Africa, and the chase is usually 

 a scene of great excitement and interest. Seeking 

 him in the green valleys or umbrageous retreats in 

 which he loves to dwell, they hesitate not to attack 

 him on foot, armed only with their native spears or 

 javelins, and a large knife. Taking advantage of 

 his inability to see behind him, and his unwieldness 

 in turning, they often manage to creep up and 

 hamstring him, before he is made aware of their ap- 

 proach : and then cast showers of javelins into him 

 until he becomes mortally wounded, and falls, the 

 signal for a general shout of triumph from the whole 

 party. The Elephant is considered by them as a 

 sacred or rather royal animal ; and therefore the tip 

 of the tail is presented to the chief of the tribe, to 

 be suspended as an ensign of royalty, and the tips 

 of the ears and proboscis are buried with much cere- 

 mony before the tusks are extracted, and the body 

 left to be devoured by beasts. The enterprising 

 traveller whom we have already quoted describes a 

 rencontre which he himself witnessed : " Whilst we 

 were engaged in exploring the neighbourhood for 

 water, our attention was arrested by the sagacity of 

 some elephants in a kloof, [cliff or pass,] just below 

 us. Dismounting that we might approach them 

 with greater caution, we perceived several issuing 

 * Wanderings in S. Africa, vol. i. p. 19. 



