EXTRAORDINARY STYLE OP HUNTING 
363 
one of tlie hunters creeps stealthily towards it. and 
with one blow severs the trunk whilst stretched 
upon the ground; in which case the elephant starts 
to his feet, whilst the hunters escape in the confusion 
of the moment. The severing of the trunk causes 
hemorrhage sufficient to ensure the death of the 
elephant within about an hour. On the other hand, 
should the elephant be awake on their arrival, it is 
impossible for them to approach the trunk; in such 
case they creep up from behind, and give a tremen¬ 
dous cut at the back sinew of the hind leg, about a 
foot above the heel; such a blow disables the ele¬ 
phant at once, and renders comparatively easy a 
second cut at the remaining leg. The arteries 
being divided, the animal quickly bleeds to death. 
These are the methods adopted by poor hunters 
until, by the sale of ivory, they can purchase horses 
for the higher branch of the art. 
“ When provided with horses, the party of hunters 
should not exceed four. They start before day¬ 
break, and ride slowly throughout the country in 
search of elephants, generally keeping along the course 
of a river, until they come upon the tracks which lead 
them to the spot where a herd, or a single elephant, 
may have drunk during the night. When once 
upon the tracks, they follow fast the retreating game. 
The elephants may be twenty miles distant, but 
that matters little to the Aggajeers. At length 
they discover them, and the hunt begins. The first 
step is to single out the bull with the largest tusks. 
This is the commencement of the fight. After a 
short hunt, the elephant turns upon his pursuers. 
