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AFRICA. / 267 
ten. The elephant, whether male or female^ 
Jias always the left tuflv fliorter and flenderer 
than the right; It is alfo more fmooth and 
fhining. To account for this difference It 
muft be obferved, as I have already faid, that 
it Is always from left to right that the animal 
conveys it3 food with Its trunk to its mouth. 
The brambles or branches on which it feeds 
pccafion a continual frifiion agalnft that tufk, 
whilft the right is fcarcely ever touched: befides, 
it Is with the fame tufk that it is accuftomed to 
found the eajrth ; and by the fize of the hole^ 
which it makes one may judge of its bulk. 
When I defcribe the elephant, I iliall fpeak 
pf its manners, paffions, and taftes ; and oa 
this fubjeft I fhall advance nothing but what 
I have feen. 
I began to take great pleafure In this kind 
of hunting, which I found much lefs danger- 
ous than amufing. I could not then conceive, 
nor have I been fmce able to comprehend, 
why authors and travellers have filled with fo 
many falfehoods the relations which they have 
written of the flrength and fagacity of thefe 
animals ; and given fcope to their imaginations 
fefpeding the dangers to which thofe who 
purfue 
