The African Elephant And Its Hunter

FORE WORD THIS volume is not an attempt to deal with the elephant throughout its range in Africa, as the authors experiences of hunting these animals only apply to the territories of Nyasaland, North- Eastern Rhodesia, and Portuguese East Africa., . Probably there never lived a man who has hunted the elephant in all its habitats in Africa, and having read practically all the literature on the subject in the English language I have not discovered such an individual. Selous hunted in Mashonaland and Matabeleland, now known as Southern Rhodesia Neumann in British East Africa, now called Kenya Colony and Stigand in Nyasaland and the Congo. Perhaps Sir Alfred Sharpe has had a more varied experience of elephant hunting than any living person, and it is a pity he does not write more on the subject. Before the days of licences, when a hunter could not find a large tusker he took a small one, and if there were no bulls worth a shot he would fire at cows. Pound for pound cow ivory is of much greater value than that of the bulls, but the tusks seldom grow heavier than 15 lbs. Of course, it was imperative that restrictions should be made, for the improvement in sporting weapons and the development of communications would soon have brought the animals to the point of extinction. Therefore, though the modern hunter is apt to chafe at the limitations imposed, he has gained in usually having more time for nature study. The elephants, owing to increased molestation, now seek thicker country and do not as formerly spend much time in open exposed places. I believe that elephant hunting to-day, not- withstanding the great improvement in weapons, is more dangerous than it was in the past, for constant persecution naturally makes the animals more apt to resent interference and to act offensively. However, there is a tendency on the part of cinema photographers, who cannot be expected to know very much about the true habits of game, to describe charges when the animals are only frightened and trying to escape. Scent being the strongest sense in most mammals, when one or more animals are disturbed they try to go upwind, so that they can smell danger from their front. In doing so they may often seem to come directly for the disturber of their peace and may rush almost over the hunter or photographer in their efforts to come round towards the wind. Should a herd of elephants or buffaloes do this and be suddenly startled by the appearance of a human being they almost invariably split up and pass to either side. Moreover, a real charge is one made with intent to do harm, and herds of game seldom act in combination in this way. This is a good thing for hunters and photographers, for if such were the case there mould be few left to relate their experiences or show their fine pictures to the audiences of picture-houses...