Mariposa Democrat., 1857-05-27
Elephant Hunting In Africa.

ing, at Meeting of the Society of Arts, in
London, when Professor Owen gave an inte-
resting lecture on the ivory and teeth of com
merce. On the conclusion Of the lecture, the
chairman, Mr.. J. G. Firth, introduced Dr. Liv-
ingston to the meeting. DIR. Livingston, who
was warmly applauded, in the course Of his
remarks, observed that hunting the elephant
was one of the best tests Of courage which ex-
listed in the world The Africans believe that
if man could kill an elephant, he was able to
do almost anything in the way of hunting
But hunting an elephant with dogs, was no
test Of bravery, because the animal, when be-
set by dogs, seemed totally incapable of pro-
tecting himself against his human assaant-
Sometimes, he would 60 down awkardly on
his knees trying to kill the dogs, and at others,
he would throw down tree with the same
object. Meanwhile, the man approached close
enough to dispatch him with certainty. In
Ceylon, the natives killed an elephant with a
spear; but, in Africa, they generally stood at
the side Of the elephant; and, at thirty yards,
half a dozen balls would kill, though at great.
er distance it would take fifty. When in Afri-
ca, he desired to ascertain the number Of ele-
plants killed annually, and, for that purpose,
he took notes of the parties who hunted his
locality, and the result of their sport. There
were hunters from England, gentlemen from
India on furlough; there were Beers, who be-
lieved themselves to be the bravest people on
the face of the earth; there were natives and
there were the bastard Beers. These latter
were exceedingly anxious to get hold of the
ivory, for the sake Of the high price it brought
The average of the English officers bag was
about 90; that Of the Boer, about 2; and that
of the native and bastard Boer, nearly half ol
one. From this, it would seem that cviiza.
ton did not necessarily produce effeminacy.-
The reason the Englishmen killed more than
every other hunter, was that he went close up
to the animal, while the others stood long
way off, afraid to go near, and deeming the
killing one elephant an event of their lives
The number of elephants, in South Africa, as
proved by specimens, brought to England by
Gordon Cumming, was very large but further
north, the number was greater 1t seemed
strange that while elephants, in the south,
were about twelve feet, those in parts much
farther to the north, where the country was
more fertile, and there was abundance of food
were only nine feet Still more singular that
the tusks of the smaller species should be
three feet longer than those Of the larger He
had often tried to explain it; but he had moi
discovered it until that night, when Professor
Owen had told them, that where the animal
was undisturbed by man, and had abundant
vegetation, the tusks grew more regularly than
in those parts where the people use fire arms
The elephants, in the north of Africa, were SC
numerous, that he could scarcely calculate al
all when they could possibly become extinct
There was difference of opinion about the
age of elephants. Some imagined the elephant
would live over 200 years, from data found in
India; but in Africa, he saw great numbers
of young elephants, like the small calves they
have now in London, and very often others
half grown, following the same dam. 1t would
hence appear that the estimate of the age Of
elephants, according to data found in India,
was too high. But he supposed they would
have opportunity of settling the point by the
calf which was now in the Regents Park gar
dens. Laughter and Oheers)