H2 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. VI. 



clap my hands to attract his attention. This had the 

 desired effect ; he turned slowly round, and I shot 

 him immediately. This was one of the Monampitya 

 tank rogues, but in his muddy position he had no 

 chance. 



The largest elephant that I have ever seen was in 

 this neighbourhood. I had arrived one afternoon at 

 about five o'clock in a fine plain, about twelve miles 

 from Monampitya, where the presence of a beautiful 

 lake and high grass promised an abundance of game. 

 It was a most secluded spot, and my tent and coolies 

 being well up with my horse, I fixed upon a shady 

 nook for the tent, and I strolled out to look for the 

 tracks while it was being pitched. 



A long promontory stretched some hundred yards 

 into the lake, exactly opposite the spot I had fixed 

 upon for the encampment, and, knowing that elephants 

 when bathing generally land upon the nearest shore, 

 I walked out towards the point of this projecting neck 

 of land. 



The weather was very dry, and the ground was a 

 mass of little pitfalls, about two feet deep, which had 

 been made by the feet of the elephants in the wet 

 weather, when this spot was soft mud and evidently 

 the favourite resort of the heavy game. The ground 

 was now baked by the sun as hard as though it were 

 frozen, and the numerous deep ruts made walking 

 very difficult. Several large trees and a few bushes 



