186 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



miles, we turned into the forest, and continued our 

 route through alternate open and thick forests, until we 

 at length reached a rough, open country interspersed 

 with low jungles. Here we met the watchers, who 

 reported the herd to be a few hundred paces from us. 

 in some patches of thick jungle. Taking the wind, we 

 carefully approached their position. The ground was 

 very rough, being a complete city of ant-hills about 

 two feet high ; these were overgrown with grass, giving 

 the open country an appearance of a vast churchyard 

 of turf graves. Among these tumps grew numerous 

 small clusters of bushes, above which we shortly dis- 

 covered the flapping ears of the elephants ; they were 

 slowly feeding toward the more open ground. It was 

 a lovely afternoon, the sky was covered with a thin 

 gray cloud, and the sun had little or no power. Hiding 

 behind a bush, we watched the herd for some time, 

 until they had all quitted the bushes and were well out 

 in the open. There were two elephants facing us, and 

 the herd, which consisted of seven, were tolerably close 

 together, with the exception of one, who was about 

 thirty yards apart from the main body ; this fellow we 

 determined to catch. We therefore arranged that our 

 gun-bearers and four rope-carriers thould accompany 

 us, while the remaining portion of our party should lie 

 in reserve to come to our assistance when required, as 

 so large a body of men could not possibly stalk the herd 

 without being discovered. Falling upon our hands and 

 knees, we crept between the grassy ant-hills toward the 

 two leading elephants, who were facing us. The wind 

 was pretty brisk, and the ant-hills effectually concealed 

 us till we were within seven paces of our game. The 

 two leaders then both dropped dead to the front shot. 



