AFRICA. 263 
Some days after we had an alarm which 
might have become ferious. In the mid- 
dle* of the night we were all at the fame time 
awakened by a frightful noife, proceeding from 
a troop of elephants, v/hich in palling us 
almofi: brufhed againft our camp : in number 
they might be about an hundred. On this oc- 
cafion I was under fuch dreadful apprehenfions, 
which my people fhared along with me, that 
we did not think proper to infult this formi- 
dable battalion, nor to difpute their pafTage. 
Had I attempted it, my camp, my animals, 
my carriages, and all my people, would in a 
moment have been cruflied to atoms. They 
however did not flop, and my camp remained 
perfedly fafe. 
At the break of day we received a vifit from 
our neighbours, who had been expofed to the 
fame terrors. They came exprefsly to inform 
me that, if I fhould ever again meet with the 
fame Ipecies, 1 ought to be very cautious not to 
fire at them ; as the elephants we had feen were 
extremely dangerous, and m*uch more mifchie- 
vous than the reft. They affured me that their 
flelh was good for nothing; that it occahoned 
ulcers to thofe who eat it ; and, in a word, that 
they were red elephants.— Red elephants ! This 
S4 word 
