CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 11. P ACI1 Y DERM AT A. 631 



ELEPHANT ATTACKED BY THE NEGROES WITH JAVELINS. 



animal can call forth. The pace of the elephant, when undisturbed, is a bold, free, sweeping step, 

 and from the peculiar spongy formation of his foot, his tread is extremely light and inaudible, 

 and all his movements are attended with a peculiar gentleness and grace. This, however, only 

 applies to the elephant when roaming undisturbed in his jungle; for, when roused by the hunter, 

 he proves the most dangerous enemy, and far more difficult to conquer than any other beast of 

 the chase." 



Other accounts of the elephants in Africa, furnished us by recent hunters and travelers, are 

 exceedingly curious and interesting. From these it appears that this animal 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 unwieldiness in turning. 

 they often manage to creep up and hamstring him before he is made aware of their approach, 

 and then they 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. Livingstone witnessed an 

 instance of this kind, which he describes as follows: "The goodly beast, totally unconscious of 

 the approach of an enemy, stood for some time suckling her young one, which seemed about 

 two years old ; they then went into a pit containing mud, and smeared themselves all over with 

 it, the little one frisking about his dam, flapping his ears and tossing his trunk incessantly, in ele- 

 phantine fashion. She kept flapping her ears and wagging her tail, as if in the height of enjoy- 

 ment. Then began the piping of her enemies, the negro hunters, which was performed by blowing 

 into a tube, or the hands closed together, as boys do into a key.- Thev call out to attract the 

 animal's attention — 



' chief! chief! we have come to kill you, 

 chief! chief! many more will die beside you, 

 The gods have said it,' etc., etc. 



