3H THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap, xn 



ately ; but the object of the natives was simply to get 

 him killed, on account of his mischievous habits. 



We therefore agreed to make our first attack upon 

 the rogue : if we should kill him on the spot, so much 

 the better ; if not, we knew that a four-ounce ball 

 through his lungs would kill him eventually, and, at all 

 events, he would not be in a humour to interrupt our 

 pursuit of the herd, which we were to push for the 

 moment we had put the rogue out of the way. 



These arrangements being made, we started. After 

 a ride of about four miles through beautiful country, 

 we saw a man in the distance, who was beckoning to 

 us, This was one of the watchers, who pointed to a 

 jungle into which the elephant had that moment 

 entered. From the extreme caution of the trackers, 

 I could see that this rogue was worthy of his name. 



The jungle into which he had entered was a long 

 but narrow belt, about a hundred yards in width ; it 

 was tolerably good, but still it was so close that we 

 could not see more than six paces in advance. I fully 

 expected that he was lying in wait for us, and would 

 charge when least expected. We therefore cautiously 

 entered the jungle, and, sending Banda on in advance, 

 with instructions to retreat upon the guns if charged, 

 we followed him at about twenty paces distance. 



Banda immediately untied his long hair, which fell 

 to his hips, and divesting himself of all clothing except 

 a cloth round his loins, he crept on in advance as 



