12 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. .. 



in the herd, the mothers frequently prove awkward 

 customers. 



Elephant-shooting is doubtless the most dangerous 

 of all sports if the game is invariably followed up ; but 

 there is a great difference between elephant-killing 

 and elephant-hunting- ; the latter is sport, the former 

 is slaughter. 



Many persons who have killed elephants know 

 literally nothing about the sport, and they may even 

 leave Ceylon with the idea that an elephant is not a 

 dangerous animal. Their elephants are killed in this 

 way, viz. : 



The party of sportsmen, say two or three, arrive 

 at a certain district. The headman is sent for from 

 the village ; he arrives. The enquiry respecting the 

 vicinity of elephants is made ; a herd is reported to 

 be in the neighbourhood, and trackers and watchers 

 are sent out to find them. 



In the meantime the tent is pitched, our friends 

 are employed in unpacking the guns, and, after some 

 hours have elapsed, the trackers return : they have 

 found the herd, and the watchers are left to observe 

 them. 



The guns are loaded and the party starts. The 

 trackers run quickly on the track until they meet one 

 of the watchers who has been sent back upon the track 

 by the other watchers to give the requisite informa- 

 tion of the movements of the herd since the trackers 



