zi8 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. ix. 



the prudence of continuing the chase at this late hour, 

 when we suddenly heard the cracking of the branches 

 in a small jungle in a hollow close to our left, and 

 upon taking a position upon some rising ground, we 

 distinctly saw several elephants standing in the high 

 grass about a hundred paces before us, close to the 

 edge of the jungle in which the remaining portion of 

 the herd was concealed. Two of the elephants were 

 looking at us, and as there was no time to lose, we 

 walked straight up to them. They stood quietly 

 watching us till we were within twenty yards, when 

 they came a few paces forward, one immediately fall- 

 ing dead to my shot, while the other was turned by a 

 shot from my brother ; the rest retreated to the jungle 

 over the most difficult ground for both man and beast. 

 Immense rocks lay scattered in heaps over the sur- 

 face, forming chasms by the intervening crevices 

 of five and six feet in depth ; from these crevices 

 the long lemon grass grew in dense tufts, completely 

 hiding the numerous pitfalls, and making the retreat 

 of the elephants and our pursuit equally difficult. I 

 was close to the tail of a large elephant, who was pick- 

 ing his way carefully over the treacherous surface, and 

 I was waiting for an opportunity for a shot should he- 

 turn his head, when I suddenly pitched head first into 

 one of these rocky holes. Here I scrambled for some 

 seconds before I could extricate myself, as I was carry- 

 ing my heavy four-ounce rifle; and at length, upon 



