288 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



but recently burnt, the long reeds in many places still 

 remaining. 



We could not get nearer than fifty yards in such 

 ground, and I accordingly tried a shot at his temple 

 with the four-ounce. The long unburnt stalks of the 

 lemon grass waving to and fro before' the sights of my 

 rifle so bothered me that I missed the fatal spot, and 

 fired about two inches too high. Stumbling only for a 

 moment from the blow, he rushed down hill toward a 

 jungle, but at the same instant Palliser made a capital 

 shot with the long two-ounce, and knocked him over. 

 I never saw an elephant fall with such a crash : they 

 generally sink gently down ; but this fellow was going at 

 such speed down hill that he fairly pitched upon his head. 



We arrived at our resting-place, and having pitched 

 the tents, we gave them up to Banda and the servants, 

 while we took possession of a large " amblam," or open 

 building, massively built by the late Major Rodgers, 

 which is about twenty-five feet square. This we ar- 

 ranged in a most comfortable manner, and here we de- 

 termined to remain for some days, while we beat the 

 whole country thoroughly. 



Dec. 6. We started at our usual early hour with 

 Banda and the trackers, and after a walk of about a mile 

 we found fresh tracks and followed up. Crossing a 

 smi.ll river upon the track, we entered a fine open for- 

 est, through which the herd had only just passed, and 

 upon following them for about a quarter of a mile, we 

 came to a barrier of dense chenar jungle, into which the 

 elephants had retreated. 



There was a rogue with this herd, and we were rather 

 doubtful of his- position. We stood in the open forest, 

 within a few feet of the thick jungle, to the edge of 



