n 6 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON. cha£. vi. 



them pettishly over his back, and tossed some from 

 side to side. 1 was in momentary dread lest a horse 

 should neigh and disturb him, as they were within 200 

 paces of where he stood. Everything was, however, 

 quiet in that direction, where the hiding coolies 

 were watching the impending event with breath- 

 less interest. 



Having amused himself for some moments by 

 kicking up the turf and dirt and throwing the sand 

 over his back, he took it into his head to visit the 

 main shore, and for this purpose he strode quickly in 

 the direction of the encampment. I moved round 

 the tree to secrete myself as he advanced. He was 

 soon exactly at right angles with me as he was passing 

 the tree, when he suddenly stopped : his whole de- 

 meanour changed in an instant ; his ears cocked, his 

 eyes gleamed, his tail on end and his trunk raised high 

 in the air, he turned the distended tip towards the tree 

 from behind which I was watching him. He was 

 perfectly motionless and silent in this attitude for 

 some moments. He was thirty yards from me, as I 

 supposed at the time, and I reserved my fire, having 

 the four-ounce rifle ready. Suddenly, with his trunk 

 still raised, his long legs swung forward towards me. 

 There was no time to lose ; I was discovered, and a 

 front shot would be useless with his trunk in that 

 position. Just as his head was in the act of turning 

 towards me I took a steady shot at his temple. He 



