The Stream Of The Dinder Is Obstructed With Many
Snags And Trunks Of Fallen Trees That Would Be Serious Obstacles
To Rapid Navigation:
These are the large stems of the soont
(Acacia Arabica), that, growing close to the edge, have fallen
into the river when the banks have given way.
I was astonished at
the absence of elephants in such favourable ground; for some
miles I walked along the margin of the river without seeing a
track of any date. Throughout this country, these animals are so
continually hunted that they have become exceedingly wary, and
there can be little doubt that their numbers are much reduced.
Even in the beautiful shooting country comprised between the
river Gash and Gallabat, although we had excellent sport, I had
been disappointed at the number of elephants, which I had
expected to find in herds of many hundreds, instead of forty or
fifty, which was the largest number that I had seen together. The
habits of all animals generally depend upon the nature of the
localities they inhabit. Thus, as these countries were subject to
long drought and scarcity of water, the elephants were, in some
places, contented with drinking every alternate day. Where they
were much hunted by the aggageers, they would seldom drink twice
consecutively in the same river; but, after a long draught in the
Settite, they would march from twenty-five to thirty miles, and
remain for a day between that river and the Mareb or Gash, to
which they would hurry on the following night. At other times,
these wily animals would drink in the Settite, and retire to the
south; feeding upon Mek Nimmur's corn-fields, they would hurry
forward to the river Salaam, about thirty miles distant, and from
thence, in a similar manner, either to the Atbara on one side, or
into the Abyssinian mountains, where, at all times, they could
procure a supply of water. I have frequently discovered fresh
grains of dhurra in their dung, at a great distance from the
nearest corn-field; when the rapid digestion of the elephant is
considered, it must be allowed that the fresh dung found in the
morning bore witness to the theft of corn during the past night;
thus the elephant had marched many miles after feeding. In the
"Rifle and Hound in Ceylon," published in 1854, I gave a detailed
description of the elephants of that country, which, although
peculiar in the general absence of tusks, are the same as the
Indian species.
Although the elephant is found throughout many countries,
extending over an enormous area, there are only two species at
present in existence,--the Indian and African; these are totally
different in their habits, and are distinguished by peculiarities
of form. The most striking difference is in the shape of the head
and spine. The head of the Indian species is perfectly distinct;
the forehead, when held in the natural position of inaction, is
perpendicular; and above the slight convexity at the root of the
trunk there is a depression, in shape like a herald's shield:
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