54 Mr. Henry Walker's Lecture:
usual, we find, in these Saturday afternoon outings) by
funny stories—by such stories as hunting naturalists, above
all people, seem to love to tell of each other.
Here, on the London Road, just beyond Ilford, is our
destination. The game seems to have been driven in at
this spot, and surrounded by the hunters, like the shaggy
victims of a Norwegian bear-skall, or an Indian elephant-
corral. Let us hasten to the spot.
The area to which we are now converging appears to be
partly surrounded by a batten fence. The scouts of our
party are peering over the pointed staves, and trying to
look down into some deep excavation below, as if into a den
of wild beasts. Sir Antonio, our leader, with reassuring
look, bids us come down without fear into the pit. At
length it would seem we are now to be initiated in the
mysteries of elephant-hunting in Essex. True, no tame
elephants trained for the chase are yet to be seen, or
swarthy Eastern riders imported for the day. But let us
be patient. A more wonderful venerie than that which is
learnt in the jungles of India is now to be taught us. We
will let Sir Antonio speak for himself.
This London-road pit, like the Uphall brick-field on the
Barking-road, yields to the labourers who work in the
ground the bones and teeth of elephant, rhinoceros, and
deer. The veritable gates of Hades, leading to a realm
of huge old-world forms that once stalked abroad in the
upper air in these forests of Essex around us, are these
pits in the beds of the ancient Thames Valley. The
marvellous story of the finding of these fossil animals, ages
after they ceased to exist, and the almost equally mar-
vellous story of the manner in which their almost perished
remains are restored, as we see them in public museums
to-day, is now related to us in a round unvarnished tale.
As soon as the labourer in the Ilford pits, with pick and
shovel and well-trained eye, discovers the signs of organic
remains, a messenger is sent to Sir Antonio Brady. Sir
Antonio arrives with a skilful assistant, and the work of
uncovering the embedded prize is commenced. But the
treasure, be it cranium, thigh-bone, or tusk, threatens