A TROPICAL BATHING-PLACE. 37 



insects that were on the animal's body and which had become imbedded in the 

 hardened earth, and the sagacious animal moves off, freed for a time from his 

 minute tormentors. 



As a general rule elephants live to a great age, but whenever anyone of a 

 herd becomes ill, no matter from what cause, the others set upon it and drive it 

 from their society. When thus obliged to leave its companions, the poor animal 

 immediately seeks some chosen place, usually known to hunters and travellers as 

 the elephant's cemetery, and there remains until he dies. No matter how far this 

 particular place may be from the spot where the herd was living at the time the 

 invalid was obliged to leave, he will strive to reach it, as though it was impossible 

 for him to die anywhere else. 



Within the past few years, on account of continued persecutions from the 

 hunters who have sought these animals principally for their tusks, which form one 

 of the most valuable articles of commerce, the Elephants have retired further into 

 the interior of the continent, leaving merely a remnant of their numbers in the 

 localities where they formerly abounded. A large herd of these gigantic animals 

 must present a magnificent spectacle, and the few Europeans who have witnessed 

 them enjoying the unrestrained freedom of their native wilds have given most en- 

 thusiastic descriptions of the excitement that took possession of them when behold- 

 ing the scene. Harris, who was the first to penetrate to the Cashan mountains, 

 in the territory of the redoubtable Matabili Chief Moselekatse, one day whilst 

 engaged in hunting these gigantic animals, speaks of a magnificent panorama that 

 suddenly unfolded itself before him, that beggared all description. "The whole 

 face of the landscape was actually covered with wild Elephants. There could not 

 have been fewer than three hundred within the scope of our vision. Every height 

 and green knoll was dotted over with groups of them, whilst the bottom of the glen 

 exhibited a dense and sable living mass — their colossal forms being at one moment 

 partially concealed by the trees which they were disfiguring with giant strength, while 

 others were seen majestically emerging into the open glades, bearing in their trunks 

 branches of trees with which they indolendy protected themselves from the flies. 

 The background was occupied by a view of the blue mountainous range, which here 

 assumed a remarkably precipitous character, and completed a picture at once soul- 

 stirring and sublime." Such are the scenes enjoyed by the intrepid men who often 

 risk life and health for the sake of science, or in pursuit of their favourite game. 



