ELEPHANT HUNTING. 537 
action and association which had rendered the character of 
Pioneer and Hunter-Naturalist nearly synonomous in renown 
here, had still more to do with this result in affording the most 
extraordinary and illustrious instances of individual heroism 
the world ever saw. Men became emulous of this personal 
glory, with which the association of single names with the 
conquest of empires, first with mere handfulls of followers, as 
with Cortez and Pizarro, and afterwards through all unex- 
pected disparities of numbers, down to the solitary man, as 
with Boone, had been made so familiar since the discovery 
of the New World. If there were no new worlds to discover, 
there were at least new regions to explore; if there were 
no more Perus or Mexicos to conquer, there were great herds 
of peaceful elephants browsing the unpenetrated forests of the 
vast interior of Africa, in the hunt of which energies as rest- 
less and irrepressible could be expended. Thus the pacific 
and curious traveller, such as Bruce, or “more merchant- 
like,” as Marco Paulo and Sir John Mandeville, has given 
place to such Nimrods on parole as Major W. Cornwallis 
Harris, R. Gorden Cummings, etc., of the British army in 
South Africa, who have lately made themselves illustrious as 
having gone forth—if not literally 
With a pine 
For a spear, ’gainst the mammoth,” 
at least practically, with’ their short rifles against 
foaming behemoth.” 
The adventures of these men open a new and very curious, 
as well as striking chapter of “Wild Scenes and Wild — 
Hunters” in the old world. Each tells his own story with the 
characteristic extravagance of the adventurer; but this con- 
sists more in expression than fact. They are both inspired 
with the genuine spirit of the ‘‘ Hunter-Naturalist,” and in 
their eager emulation of securing “ trophies” of specimens. 
