PERILS OF THE MOUNTED HUNTER. 
333 
as the Dutch settlers very properly call these tor¬ 
mentors, which environ him on all sides, but through 
which the elephant crashes as if they were only so 
many grass-stalks. Mr. Os well, indeed, met with a 
mishap of this kind, and before he could roll him¬ 
self out of the way of the elephant, the enraged 
creature strode over his body, though, most fortun¬ 
ately, without injuring him in any manner. 
The mounted hunter is exposed to other perils. 
It happens occasionally that his horse becomes so 
terrified at the sight and trumpeting of the ele¬ 
phant, when the animal is in the act of charging, as 
66 to be transfixed to the spot—to appear altogether 
bewildered—to spread out its legs, and to tremble 
violently. 55 A friend of mine was once placed 
in this very awkward position, when the only 
alternative left him was to dismount and take to 
his heels. His horse also got off “ scot-free, 55 for 
no sooner had the enraged elephant seized him 
with his trunk than the spell was broken; with a 
frantic bound the terrified animal tore itself away 
species of thorny trees and bushes; and as the greater part of the 
thorns, or prickles, are shaped on the fish-hook principle, each hook 
being on the average capable of supporting a weight of seven pounds, 
the reader can readily conceive the consequences when a few score 
of them lay hold of a man at once. When travelling, they were ex¬ 
ceedingly annoying. To say nothing of the injuries they inflicted on 
our persons, they tore to ribbons our clothes, our carasses, and even 
the pack saddle-bags, though made of strong ox-hide. Once, 
indeed, on returning to Barmen, after a short absence, I possessed 
hardly a decent article of clothing, and had not M. Hahn, the 
missionary, kindly taken pity on my forlorn condition, I am afraid 
there would soon have been but little difference between me and the 
savage. 
