290 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. xii. 



open but marshy ground upon which we had seen the 

 tracks of the herd a few days previous. Fresh elephant 

 tracks had accompanied us the whole way along our 

 path, and a herd was evidently somewhere in the 

 vicinity, as the path was obstructed in many places by 

 the branches of trees upon which they had been feed- 

 ing during the night. The sandy ground was likewise 

 printed with innumerable tracks of elk, deer, hogs and 

 leopards. We halted under some wide-spreading 

 trees, beneath which, a clear stream of water rippled 

 over a bed of white pebbles, with banks of fine green 

 sward. In this spot were unmistakable tracks of 

 elephants, where they had been recently drinking. 

 The country was park-like, but surrounded upon its 

 borders with thick jungles ; clumps of thorny bushes 

 were scattered here and there, and an abundance of 

 good grass and water ensured a large quantity of 

 game. The elephants were evidently not far off, and 

 of course were well secured in the thorny jungles 



Wortley had never yet seen a wild elephant, and 

 a dense jungle is by no means a desirable place for an 

 introduction to this kind of game. It is a rule of mine 

 never to follow elephants in such ground, where they 

 generally have it all their own way ; but, as there are 

 exceptions to all rules, we determined to find them, 

 after having taken so much trouble in making our 

 arrangements. 



We unsaddled, and ordered breakfast to be ready 



