244 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON. chap. x. 



and had bolted up the trees when they heard the rush 

 of the elephant through the jungle ; thus, upon his 

 arrival in the open forest, he could see no one, and he 

 stood gazing about him with his ears cocked and tail 

 on end, not knowing exactly what to do, but ready to 

 charge the first person that showed himself. He was 

 an immense elephant, being one of the largest that I 

 have ever seen, and he had as fine an expression ot 

 vice in his appearance as any rogue could wish for. 

 Suddenly he turned his trunk towards us, but he was 

 puzzled as to the exact position of any one, as so 

 many men were scattered among the trees. I was 

 within twenty yards of him, and he turned his head 

 towards the spot, and was just on the move forward, 

 when I anticipated his intentions by running up to 

 him and knocking him over by a shot in the forehead, 

 which killed him. Unfortunately the herd at the 

 same moment broke cover on the opposite side of the 

 jungle, and escaped without a shot being fired at them. 

 It was nearly dusk, and we were five miles from the 

 tent ; we were therefore obliged to give them up. 



The next morning, at daybreak, I rode out with 

 the greyhounds, Killbuck, Bran and Lena, to kill a 

 deer. The lemon grass was so high at this season 

 that the dogs had no chance, and I was therefore 

 compelled to pick out some spot which was free from 

 this grass, and employ beaters to drive the jungles, 

 instead of stalking the deer in the usual manner. I 



