340 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. xir. 



My four-ounce is a splendid rifle for loading 

 quickly, it being so thick in the metal that the 

 deep groove catches the be]*: of the ball immediately. 

 I was loaded in a few seconds, and again set off in 

 pursuit ; I saw the herd at about 200 yards distant ; 

 they had halted, and they had again faced about. 



I had no sooner approached within sixty paces 

 of them, than the wounded elephant gave a trumpet, 

 and again rushed forward out of the herd. His 

 head was so covered with blood, and was still thrown 

 back in such a peculiar position, that I could not 

 get a shot at the exact mark. Again the four- 

 ounce crashed through his skull, and, staggered with 

 the blow, he once more turned and retreated with the 

 herd. 



Loading quickly, I poured the powder down ad 

 libitum, and ran after the herd, who had made a 

 circuit to arrive in the same forest in which we 

 had first found them. A sharp run brought me up to 

 them ; but upon seeing me they immediately stopped, 

 and, without a moment's pause, round came my old 

 antagonist again, straight at me, with his head still 

 raised in the same knowing position. The charge 

 of powder was so great that it went off like a young 

 fieldpiece, and the elephant fell upon his knees ; but, 

 again recovering himself, he turned and went off at 

 such a pace that he left the herd behind, and in a 

 few minutes I was within twenty yards of them ; I 



