6o THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



mended to avail himself of this opportunity of sport ; as, even in 

 the event of the permit being issued, the Elephants are seldom 

 met with. 



Previous to the incursions of white men in search of ivory, and 

 the consequent introduction of fire-arms, it was only on rare 

 occasions that the aborigines were enabled by the aid of their rude 

 weapons to make any impression on the tough hide and huge body 

 of the Elephant ; indeed, it then roamed the forest with little fear 

 of any living creature. Times changed, and whilst still frequenting 

 in multitudes districts wholly free from the tsetse fly, the white 

 hunters came in on horseback and with their deadly rifles 

 slaughtered thousands with little danger and less fatigue. Those 

 days have passed, and the Elephants, with few exceptions, have 

 been driven into places quite inaccessible to horses. Anyone now 

 desirous of being in a position to say that he has succeeded in 

 ■'laying low " a specimen of the largest of existing quadrupeds and 

 one of the most dangerous of African game, must be prepared to 

 encounter the brutes on foot, sometimes with nothing to depend 

 upon for escape but his own steady aim, and, may be, the length of 

 his legs, as well as undergoing extreme hardships of many descriptions. 



The hunting of the Elephant is an inexhaustible subject to deal 

 with, but it will be sufficient to give a few hints which may possibly 

 be of use to a beginner at this form of sport. Possessed of very bad 

 sight, but with an exquisite sense of smell, no great danger may be 

 apprehended, when the wind is favourable, from creeping right up 

 alongside a single one ; but, when there are a lot close together, the 

 case is different, as in the stampede which follows the firing of the 

 first shot, the terrified and confused animals may run right on top 

 and trample the hunter before an opportunity is afforded him 

 of getting out of the way. Owing to the formation of the head 

 and the backward portion of the brain-pan, a shot direct in front is 

 often worse than useless. The concussion may on a few occasions 

 stop a determined charge, but as a matter of fact it more often 

 induces one. When this happens, however, and the trunk is 

 elevated, which leaves the chest completely exposed, a bullet may 

 be planted with deadly effect in the region of the heart ; but it must 

 not be expected that an animal when charging \yill always elevate 

 the trunk and give this opportunity. On the other hand, if a side 

 shot be offered at one which is standing quite still, the brain may 

 easily be penetrated if the bullet is directed true on the outer 



