The Arabs Are
Not Very Powerful Men; They Are Extremely Light And Active, And
Generally Average About Five Feet Eight Inches In Height.
But
their swords are far too heavy for their strength; and although
they can deliver a severe cut, they cannot recover the sword
sufficiently quick to parry, therefore they are contented with
the shield as their only guard.
If opposed to a good swordsman
they would be perfectly at his mercy, as a feint at the head
causes them to raise the shield; this prevents them from seeing
the point, that would immediately pass through the body.
Notwithstanding their deficiency in the art of the sword, they
are wonderful fellows to cut and slash; and when the sharp edge
of the heavy weapon touches an enemy, the effect is terrible.
The elephant-hunters, or aggageers, exhibited their swords, which
differed in no respect from those usually worn; but they were
bound with cord very closely from the guard for about nine inches
along the blade, to enable them to be grasped by the right hand,
while the hilt was held by the left; the weapon was thus
converted into a two-handed sword. The scabbards were
strengthened by an extra covering, formed of the skin of the
elephant's ear.
In a long conversation with these men, I found a corroboration of
all that I had previously heard of their exploits, and they
described the various methods of killing the elephant with the
sword. Those hunters who could not afford to purchase horses
hunted on foot, in parties not exceeding two persons. Their
method was to follow the tracks of an elephant, so as to arrive
at their game between the hours of 10 A.M. and noon, at which
time the animal is either asleep, or extremely listless, and easy
to approach. Should they discover the animal asleep, one of the
hunters would creep stealthily towards the head, and with one
blow sever the trunk while stretched upon the ground; in which
case the elephant would start upon his feet, while the hunters
escaped in the confusion of the moment. The trunk severed would
cause an haemorrhage sufficient to insure the death of the
elephant within about an hour. On time other hand, should the
animal be awake upon their arrival, it would be impossible to
approach the trunk; in such a case, they would creep up from
behind, and give a tremendous cut at the back sinew of the hind
leg, about a foot above the heel. Such a blow would disable the
elephant at once, and would render comparatively easy a second
cut to the remaining leg; the arteries being divided, the animal
would quickly bleed to death. These were the methods adopted by
poor hunters, until, by the sale of ivory, they could purchase
horses for the higher branch of the art. Provided with horses,
the party of hunters should not exceed four. They start before
daybreak, and ride slowly throughout the country in search of
elephants, generally keeping along the course of a river until
they come upon the tracks where a herd or a single elephant may
have drunk during the night.
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