At Kamalia I Saw Two Teeth, One A Very Large
One, Which Were Found In The Woods, And Which Were Evidently Broken
Off In This Manner.
Indeed, it is difficult otherwise to account
for such a large proportion of broken ivory as is daily offered for
sale at the different factories, for when the elephant is killed in
hunting, unless he dashes himself over a precipice, the teeth are
always extracted entire.
There are certain seasons of the year when the elephants collect
into large herds, and traverse the country in quest of food or
water; and as all that part of the country to the north of the Niger
is destitute of rivers, whenever the pools in the woods are dried up
the elephants approach towards the banks of that river. Here they
continue until the commencement of the rainy season, in the months
of June or July, and during this time they are much hunted by such
of the Bambarrans as have gunpowder to spare. The elephant-hunters
seldom go out singly - a party of four or five join together, and
having each furnished himself with powder and ball, and a quantity
of corn-meal in a leather bag sufficient for five or six days'
provision, they enter the most unfrequented parts of the wood, and
examine with great care everything that can lead to the discovery of
the elephants. In this pursuit, notwithstanding the bulk of the
animal, very great nicety of observation is required. The broken
branches, the scattered dung of the animal, and the marks of his
feet are carefully inspected; and many of the hunters have, by long
experience and attentive observation, become so expert in their
search that as soon as they observe the foot-marks of an elephant
they will tell almost to a certainty at what time it passed and at
what distance it will be found.
When they discover a herd of elephants, they follow them at a
distance, until they perceive some one stray from the rest and come
into such a situation as to be fired at with advantage. The hunters
then approach with great caution, creeping amongst the long grass,
until they have got near enough to be sure of their aim. They then
discharge all their pieces at once, and throw themselves on their
faces among the grass; the wounded elephant immediately applies his
trunk to the different wounds, but being unable to extract the
balls, and seeing nobody near him, he becomes quite furious and runs
about amongst the bushes until by fatigue and loss of blood he has
exhausted himself, and affords the hunters an opportunity of firing
a second time at him, by which he is generally brought to the
ground.
The skin is now taken off, and extended on the ground with pegs to
dry; and such parts of the flesh as are most esteemed are cut up
into thin slices, and dried in the sun, to serve for provisions on
some future occasion.
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