258 TOO KNOWING BY HALF. 



exists, or we insult an honest man by doubting his 

 honesty, and injure ourselves by shutting our ears to the 

 reception of facts. 



On the morning after my tree interview with the 

 elephant, I happened to mention to an Ejiglish gentleman 

 of the sort that I have described, what a curious scene I 

 had witnessed on the previous day. It was against my 

 established rule, however, to relate anything connected 

 with sporting matters to persons whom I casually met, but 

 on this occasion my usual caution had left me. I was 

 plainly told by this gentleman that he did not believe me. 

 I was not angry; but as this was a person who might 

 be described as so knowing that he actually believed 

 nothing at all, I gave him plenty of opportunities to 

 commit himself. 



There is an old saying, that " a bet is a fool's argu- 

 ment/' It is, however, frequently the only argument 

 that will convince some people, and it proved so with the 

 person whom I have mentioned. I offered to make him a 

 bet that I could prove that the elephants did come to me 

 under the tree, and in fact that everything had happened 

 just as I had stated it. He tried to escape from this trial, 

 but I plainly told him, that if he did not accept the offer, 

 it would be an acknowledgment that he was wrong. The 

 bet was made, and I was to give my proof. 



I called in two witnesses, and then related what had 

 happened with the elephants on the previous day, taking 

 care to give every detail. I then sent for a white man, 

 who I knew spoke the Kaffir language very well, to act as 

 interpreter, and also sent for my Kaffir Inyovu, who was 



