elephant is more hunted than the Asiatic species, and
affords better sport and greater profit to the hunter. It seems to be
a fiercer, more active, and probably a more cunning animal, and, owing
to the character of the country through which it ranges, it seems to
be of a more nomad disposition. The chase of the African elephant
appears to exercise a kind of fascination over its votaries, like the
chase of the chamois among the Swiss mountaineers; and when a hunter
has fairly settled down to the business, he cannot tear himself away
from it without exercising great self-denial. Perhaps few sports are
encompassed with greater difficulties and dangers, or involve greater
hardships; and yet the wild, free, roving life has such charms, that
even a highly-educated European can scarcely make up his mind to
return to civilization.

In the first place, elephant hunting is not, as are many sports, an
expensive amusement. On the contrary, a hunter who possesses a
sufficiency of skill, courage, and endurance will be able not only to
cover his expenses, but to pay himself handsomely for his trouble.
There is certainly a very large expenditure at the outset; for a
hunter will need two wagons, with a whole drove of oxen, several good
and seasoned horses, a small arsenal of guns, with ammunition to
match, provisions for a lengthened period, and plenty of beads and
other articles which can be bartered for ivory. Moreover, a number of
native servants must be kept, and the amount of meat which they
consume daily is almost appalling.

Then there are always great losses to be counted upon. The cattle get
among the dread Tzetse flies, and die off in a few hours; the horses
catch the "paardsikte" (a kind of murrain), or tumble into pitfalls;
wagons break down, servants run away with guns, native chiefs detain
the wagons for weeks, together with a host of minor drawbacks. Still,
if a man is worthy of the name of hunter, and boldly faces these
difficulties, he will pay himself well, provided that his health holds
out--there are so many valuable articles to be brought from Southern
Africa, such as the horns and furs of animals, the skins of birds,
ostrich feathers, and ivory.

The teeth of the elephant, too, are valuable, and are made into
various articles of use and ornament. A set of knife-handles made of
elephant's tooth is sometimes to be seen, and I have now before me an
excellent specimen of a knife-handle, which shows the alternate row