190 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
long thorns that armed the branches of his hiding-place. He for 
some moments examined it minutely^ then putting it on the ground, 
remained for a time stationary. The animal, more playful than 
wicked, again took up the cap, and placing it on the top of the bush, 
walked off, but followed by the delighted Ali, who, showing a want 
of gratitude, shot the elephant. 
August 21^/. — At three a.m. one of the sentinels roused us, 
saying that he had heard elephants in the grain near the encamp- 
ment. We were soon up, and the hunters were also roused, but 
the night was so dark that they feared nothing could be done ; but 
Petherick laughingly telling them that surely any one with half an 
eye could see an elephant, they prepared to go in pursuit, Petherick 
looking to their rifles. At 4.30 the men, led by Deradau, were off 
on the trail, the animals by this time having withdrawn in the 
direction of a wood. At sunrise three shots were heard, and 
Petherick, mounting ^‘^Arab,^^ rode off to ascertain what success, 
and he permits me to copy his note taken at the time. 
Scarcely had I entered the forest, when I was met by the 
hunters, bearing triumphantly the tail of an elephant on high. 
The companion elephant — there having been but two (both males) 
— had escaped. When I approached the carcase it appeared enor- 
mous ; one tusk was buried in the earth, though it Was not a large 
elephant. The height to the shoulders measured eleven feet three 
inches ; its extreme length, from the snout to tip of tail, twentj^- 
five feet ; greatest girth nineteen feet ; and the circumference of the 
ear-flap, including its attachments, sixteen feet eight inches, the 
latter measuring three feet five inches. The tusks, when extraeted, 
were five feet three inehes in length, one foot eight inches of which 
were hollow, and weighed jointly one hundred and sixteen pounds. 
