HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZIN 
5. — In addition to the signatories of that 
petition I have consulted the Cape Sundays 
River Settlements, Ltd., a Company which 
has undertaken very large irrigation works 
in the district, involving a cost of about 
£500,000 sterling \ very extensve 
scheme of close settlement is in progress, 
which will mean that before very long some 
hundreds of settlers will be occupying irri- 
gable holdings immediately alongside some 
of the areas through which the elephants now 
roam at will. 
6. — It is vitally necessary that these sett- 
lers should have free access to a large portion 
of the Addo Bush now owned by the Com- 
pany and other owners participating in the 
Irrigation Scheme, but until the herds are 
got rid of, it will be quite impossible for the 
settlers to make good use of the property, 
for which purpose it will have to be fenced 
into camps. The affidavits, I think, make 
it quite clear that it would be a waste of 
time to attempt to subdivide these areas into 
camps. The areas I refer to as being use- 
less for the purpose of the settlers approxi- 
mate some 10,000 morgen. 
7. — The Irrigation Works for some dis- 
tance^ — about 20 miles — will extend through 
parts of the areas frequented by the ele- 
phants, and it is certain that at times very 
serious damage will be done to these works. 
When water is scarce in the veld but happens 
to be running in the canal, it is only natural 
to expect the elephants to> be attracted to the 
canals, and the inevitable result would be the 
breach of the works at different points, which 
might end in most disastrous consequences. 
8. — I feel convinced that if an accredited 
representative of the Administrator were de- 
puted to enquire fully into the position by a 
personal investigation on the spot, he would 
acknowledge the justice of the agitation for 
the total extermination of the herd, and I 
would suggest to the Council to urge the Ad- 
ministrator to cause such investigation to be 
made. The farmers in the neighbourhood are 
all most anxious that he should himself visit 
the locality as soon as it is conveniently pos- 
sible. They would rather he made a personal 
investigation than depute anyone else to do 
so on his behalf. 
9. — I may add that several deaths have 
been caused by these animals at different 
times, and I know of several narrow escapes. 
10. It seems to me that after the war is 
over, the Government might employ the use 
of weapons whereby the herd might be des- 
troyed verv quicklv and in a humane way. 
However, the question of ways and means of 
destruction need not be disposed of until 
authority is granted for the extermination of 
the animals." 
In this connection a letter was read from J. 
J. Perry, Johannesburg, offering his services as 
an expert to kill elephants. He had had eight 
years experience of elephant shooting in India and 
Burmah. 
1 he letter was recorded. 
The Chairman characterised .Mr. Harvey's 
report as a very able and exhaustive one. 
Mr. Harvey said he would not allow anybody 
to shoot elephants on his property unless the 
Government decided to kill off the whole herd. 
The damage done to fences on his property during 
the last two years amounted to between £'500 
and £600. 
On the motion of Mr. Hurndall it was re- 
solved that the Council adopt the report, and 
that a copy of it be forwarded to the Administra- 
tor for consideration. 
-©- 
MASCOTS FOR THE MEN-0 -WAR. 
By Eelix J. Koch. 
Steadily less and less have been Allied lossc- 
on the high seas in the world-war — whether f'rom 
Hun torpedo, storm, or other cause — and while 
for much of this credit goes, of course, to the 
good .Navy that protects the Allied transports, 
somehow sailormen, marines and soldiers sent 
overseas aboard ships are apt themselves to be 
just a little superstitious, are wont, at times, to 
wonder if the good fortune of these naval vessels, 
in its own turn, isn't perhaps due a little to the- 
array of mascots they may have aboard ! 
Foolish ? 
Well, perhaps it is foolish to us, real lands- 
men; but the notion of the use of mascots run^ 
away back to the beginning of recorded Time. 
Some of the old Phoenician war-galleys have 
been found to bear little ornaments whose purpose 
could be only this sort; and we all of us know of 
the old Egyptian amulets, the wearing of which 
was supposed to preserve the owner from harm. 
However, the mascots are with us still, and 
while not all the sailors believe in their power 
for good, one and all come to find a niche in their 
hearts for them as pets, and pets, indeed thev are 
with all the ship. A wise Navy Department 
