THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 5.41 



unwilling to add novelty to novelty, and it has been a con- 

 ilant practice with thefe to make a public hunting-match 

 the firfl expedition of their reign. On thefe occafions the 

 king, attended by all the great officers of Hate, whofe merit 

 and capacity are already acknowledged, reviews his young 

 nobility, who all appear to; the bell advantage as to arms* 

 horfes, and equipage, with the greateft number of fervants 

 and attendants, The fcene of this hunting is. always in the 

 Kolla, crowded with an immenfe number of the largeil 

 and fierceft wild hearts, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, leopards, 

 panthers, and buffaloes fiercer than them all, wild boars ? 

 wild afles, and many varieties of. the deerkind^ 



As foon as the game is roufed, and forced out of the 

 wood by the footmen and dogs, they all lingly, or feveral to- 

 gether, according to the fize of the beafl, or as ftrength and 

 ability in managing their horfes admit, attack the animal 

 upon the plain with long pikes, or fpears, or two javelins 

 in their hands. The king, unlefs very young, fits on horfe- 

 back on a riling ground, furrounded by the graver fort, 

 who point-out to him the names of thofe of the nobility 

 that are happy enough to diftinguifh themfelves in his 

 iight, The merit of others is known by report. . 



Each young man brings before the king's tent, as a tro- 

 phy, a part of the bear! he has flaih ; the head and ikin of 

 a lion or leopard ; the fcalp or horns of a deer ; the private . 

 parts of-an elephant ; the tail .of a buffalo, or the horn of a 

 rhinoceros. The great trouble, force, and time necceffary 

 to take out the teeth of the elephant, feldom make them 

 ready to be prefented with the refl of the fpoils ; fire, too, is 

 aeceffary for loafing them from the jaw. The head o£a 



1 boa: 



