I killed many of them myself right and left, when running like hares,
with common shot, much to the astonishment of the Somali, for they are
too small a mark for their bow-and-arrow shooting. The little
creatures cannot stand travelling in the mid-day sun, and usually lie
about under favouring trees which line the watercourses. Knowing this
weakness, the cunning Somali hunter watches him down from feeding to
his favourite haunts, and, after the sun shines strong enough, quietly
disturbs him; then, as he trots away to search for another shady bush,
they follow gently after to prevent his resting. In the course of an
hour or so, the terrified animal, utterly exhausted, rushes from bush
to bush, throwing itself down under each in succession, until at
length it gets captured.

Somali, from their roving habits of life, are as keen and cunning
sportsmen as any in the world. They told me of many dodges they
adopted for killing elephants, ostriches, and gazelles, which they do
as follows:--If an elephant is ever seen upon the plains, a large body
of men assemble on foot, armed with spears, bows, and sharp
double-edged knives, with one man mounted on a white horse, to act as
teaser. This man commences by riding in front of the animal, to
irritate and absorb his entire attention by riding in repeated circles
just in front of him. When the huge beast shows signs of distress by
fruitlessly charging on his nimble adversary, the footmen rush in upon
him from behind, and hamstring him with their knives, and then with
great facility soon despatch him with their arrows and spears.

Ostriches, again, are killed in two ways; the more simple one is by
finding out what places they usually resort to in search of food, and
then throwing down some tempting herb of strong poisonous properties,
which they eagerly eat and die from. The other method adopted in