256 
SPORT AND WAR. 
CHAP. XXV. 
CHAPTER XXV. 
SOUTH AFRICAN LEGEND : THE ELEPHANT’S EYE. 
Amongst other native legends at the Cape of Grood 
Hope, the following is one connected with the elephant. 
In a cavity in the head of the animal, between 
the eye and ear, yon generally find a number of 
short pieces of stick or wood. These are invariably 
sought for by the native hunters when cutting out the 
ivory, and are believed by them to possess all sorts of 
miraculous virtues. They believe that the elephant 
will never molest or hurt you while in possession of one 
of them, and that no wild animal will come near or 
attack you while protected by its influence. 
When benighted in the forest the least smoke 
created by burning one of these pieces of wood will 
keep every description of wild beast from molesting 
you. 
It is quite true that most elephants have these 
pieces of wood in this cavity near the eye, but they are 
no doubt accumulated from the great monster con¬ 
tinually charging through the forest, and what would 
