chap. i. THICK JUNGLES. 15 



they can form some opinion of the excitement of the 

 true sport. 



The first attack upon a herd by a couple of first- 

 rate elephant -shots frequently ends the contest in a 

 few seconds by the death of every elephant. I have 

 frequently seen a small herd of five or six elephants 

 annihilated almost ' in as many seconds after a well- 

 planned approach in thick jungle, when they have 

 been discovered standing in a crowd and presenting 

 favourable shots. In such an instance the sport is so 

 soon concluded that the only excitement consists in 

 the cautious advance to the attack through bad jungle. 



As a rule, the pursuit of elephants through bad. 

 thorny jungles should if possible be avoided : the 

 danger is in many cases extreme, although the greater 

 portion of the herd may at other times be perhaps 

 easily killed. There is no certainty in a shot. An 

 elephant may be discerned by the eye looming in an 

 apparent mist formed by the countless intervening 

 twigs and branches which veil him like a screen of 

 network. To reach the fatal spot the ball must pass 

 through perhaps fifty little twigs, one of which, if 

 struck obliquely, turns the bullet and there is no an- 

 swering for the consequence. There are no rules, how- 

 ever, without exceptions, and in some instances the 

 following of the game through the thickest jungle can 

 hardly be avoided. 



The character of the country in Ceylon is gene- 



