424 
southern Africa. 
ascending the Zambesi; and the desert pre- 
sented an insurmountable obstacle to commer- 
cial enterprize in the South : accordingly, when 
we first visited the country, we saw many in- 
stances in which valuable ivory had been al- 
lowed to rot, like the other bones, just where 
the animal had fallen. Indeed tusks went by 
the name of " mere bones," ( u marapohela" — 
bones only) ; and though the inhabitants soon 
acquired an idea of their superior value, they 
have not, up to the present time, received 
prices sufficient to stimulate them to proper 
efforts to procure large supplies. Elephants 
abound in the land, and there are many daring 
hunters : but a few pieces of cloth present only 
a very small indication that tusks are of more 
value than the flesh. The elephants have al- 
ways been killed more for food than for profit- 
able barter ; and other articles of trade, such 
as bees' wax, which abounds in some parts of 
the country, are thrown #side as useless. 
"The common methods of killing elephants 
may be mentioned. The hunters having ob- 
served the path by which certain elephants, or 
a herd go to water, select the highest over- 
hanging trees, as best adapted for their purpose; 
they are armed with spears, having very long 
handles, made of very light wood, and blades 
about two feet long, furnished with a barb on 
