Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ...small transparent insects, which shall be nameless; these odious creatures, probably finding my skin more tender than that of the owner of the kaross, seemed resolved to enjoy a banquet while they could; and presently I awoke with my whole body so poisoned and inflamed that I felt as if attacked with a severe fever. All further rest that night was at an end, so I returned the kaross to Mutchuisho, with grateful acknowledgments for his polite intentions; and piling dry wood on the fire, which emitted a light as bright as day, I roused the slumbering Kleinboy to assist me in turning my buckskins outside in, when an animating " chasse " commenced, which terminated in the capture of about fourscore of my white-currant coloured visitors. I then lit another fire, and spent the remainder of the night squatted between the two, thus imbibing caloric before and behind. As the sun rose on the morning of the 25th, Mutchuisho gave the word to cut up the elephant, when a scene of blood, noise, and turmoil ensued, which baffles all description. Every native there, divested of his kaross and armed with an assagai, rushed to the onslaught; and in less than two tours every inch of the animal was gone, and carried by the different parties to their respective temporary locations, which they had chosen beneath the trees that grew around. This ceremony was performed in the following manner: --the rough outer skin is first removed, in large sheets, from the side of the elephant that lies uppermost, and next to it are several coats of an under skin, which being of a tough and pliant nature, is used by the natives for making water-bags, and in these they conveyed supplies of water from the nearest vley or fountain (often ten miles distant) to the elephant. This inner skin...
