38 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



with a ramrod, in order to ascertain the direction 

 the bullets had taken, I was much surprised to find 

 them plugged up with red clay, which operation, 

 I have no doubt, was performed by the sagacious 

 animal himself, in order to stop the haemorrhage. 

 However, as night was drawing on, and I had a 

 good hour's walk through the jungle to my camp, 

 I deferred all further examination until the morrow ; 

 and having looked to my arms, in case they might 

 be required en route, cut off the elephant's tail and 

 the tips of his ears, to send to the collector's 

 cutcherry for the Government reward,* and joined 

 the Gooroo and Mulchers, who, hearing the shot, 

 were approaching us. We then made the best of 

 our way to the village, which we reached safely, 

 after nearly missing our way once or twice from 



* The East Indian Government used to give a reward of seventy 

 rupees for each male elephant killed, and fifty for each female, on 

 account of the damage they committed in sugar-plantations and 

 rice-fields ; but as a proof of their death they required that the tail, 

 tips of the ears, . and tusks should be sent to the cutcherry or 

 collector's office. As the intrinsic value of a fine pair of bull 

 elephant's tusks is often ten times greater, very often the reward is 

 not claimed ; therefore the amount of head-money paid by Govern- 

 ment can afford no estimate as to the number of elephants killed. 



