SHILLLK, NUBA, TAKELE, ETC. 173 elephant, because the larger animals prove the more profitable. When they have discovered an elephant, one man rides at a distance of about a hundred paces in front of him, so that he keeps in full view of the beast. The other rider approaches to within a hundred paces of the animal from behind, dismounts from his horse, — for Hhe is sure that it will stand quietly,— stealthily approaches it from the rear, and with one cut with a sharp sabre, severs the back sinews of its heel-joint. Infuriated to the utmost by the "Niolent pain, and seeing the rider before it, the animal rushes instantly in pursuit of him, whilst the man who inflicted the wound gains time to vault upon his horse, and make off. The elephant cannot follow the rider far, partly because the latter has the advantage of a start, and the horse is, moreover, fleeter than the elephant,—partly because he is, in a certain measure, lamed ; thus he ultimately treads off his foot, and sinks exhausted with the loss of blood, an easy prey to the huntsman.

As fire-arms are not yet known in this country, the natives slay lions in the following manner : They trace out the lair where one of these animals generally takes its noonday repose ; but the nature of the ground must be such, that the tree under which it sleeps is isolated, or at least somewhat distant from the other trees. If the ground be advantageous, the negro betakes himself to the scene of action four hours before mid-day, and climbs