346 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap, xij 



should have left the jungle and concentrated in the high 

 grass ; but the waning daylight did not permit of such a 

 steady method of proceeding. I then proposed that we 

 should choose our elephants, which were scattered in 

 the high grass, and advance separately to the attack. 

 Palliser voted that we should creep up to the elephants 

 that were in the jungle close to us, instead of going 

 into the high grass. 



I did not much like this plan, as I knew that it 

 would be much darker in the jungle than in the patina, 

 and there was no light to spare. However, Palliser 

 crept into the jungle, towards the spot where we heard 

 the elephants crashing the bushes. 



Instead of following behind him, I kept almost in 

 a line, but a few feet on one side, otherwise I knew 

 that should he fire, I should see nothing for the smoke 

 of his shot. This precaution was not thrown away. 

 The elephants were about fifty yards from the entrance 

 to the jungle, and we were of course up to them in a 

 ' few minutes. Palliser took a steady shot at a fine ele- 

 phant about eight yards from him, and fired. 



The only effect produced was a furious charge right 

 into us ! 



Away went all the gun-bearers except Wallace as 

 hard as they could run, completely panic-stricken. 

 Palliser and Wortley jumped to one side to get clear 

 of the smoke, which hung like a cloud before them ; 

 and having taken my position with the expectation of 



