FAMINE, ELEPHANTS, AND HUNTING 141 
think you can teach me what an elephant looks like ? 
I once had one on top of me, trying to trample me 
underfoot.” The artist was, in fact, also a famous 
elephant hunter. Their method now is to go out by 
day and creep to within ten paces of the elephant, when 
they discharge their flintlock at him. If the shot is not 
fatal and they are discovered by the animal, they are 
then, of course, in a very unpleasant position. 
Hitherto I have been able to help out the feeding of 
my sick with rice, if bananas were short, but I can do 
so no more. What we still have left we must keep for 
ourselves, for whether we shall get any more from 
Europe is more than questionable. 
