SOUTHERN AFRICA. 175 



— the enormous mag-nitude of the ears^ which not only cover 

 the whole of the shoulder^ but overlap each other on the 

 neck^ to the complete exclusion of the maliout, or driver, 

 constitutino; another strikino* feature of difference between 

 the two species. The forehead is remarkably larg'e and 

 prominent; and consists of two walls or tables 5 between 

 which; a wide cellular space intervening"; a ball; hardened 

 with tin or quicksilver; readily penetrates to the brain, and 

 proves instantaneously fatal. 



The barbarous tribes that people Southern Africa have 

 never dreamt of the possibility of rendering* this lordly 

 quadruped serviceable in a domestic capacity; and even 

 among-st the colonists, there exists an unaccountable super- 

 stition that his subjugation is not to be accomplished. His 

 capture, however, mig-ht readily be achieved; and, as he 

 appears to possess all the aptitude of his Asiatic relative, 

 the only difficulty that presents itself, is the g-eneral absence, 

 within our territories, of sufficient food for his support. 

 Were he once domesticated, and arra3'ed ag-ainst the beasts 

 of the forest, Africa would realize the very heau ideal of 

 mag-nificent sport. It is also worthy of remark, that no 

 attempt has ever been made on the part of the colonists 

 to naturalize another most useful animal — the camel, al- 

 though soil, climate, and productions appear alike to favour 

 its introduction. 



We succeeded, after considerable labour, in extracting* 

 the ball which Andries pretended to have fired yesterday ; 

 and the grooves of my rifle being* conspicuous upon it, that 

 worthy, but unabashed, squire was constrained not only to 

 relinquish his claim to the merit of having* slain the ele- 

 phant — but also to foreg'o his fancied rig*ht to the ivory. 

 The miniature elephant, finding* that its mother heeded not 

 its caresses, voluntarily followed our party to the wag'g'ons, 

 where it was received with shouts of welcome from the 



