IN BURMAH 335 



a clearer shot, an untimely puff of wind, the first of 

 the breeze that follows sunrise, betrayed us, and the 

 terrific crashing of bamboos as the bison ploughed 

 his way through them furnished a needful lesson in 

 wisdom of taking the first chance. 



Sport more likely to produce trophies and less 

 trying to the nerves can be obtained by using an 

 elephant. Bison appear not to notice the presence of 

 men on elephant back, and it would seem as though 

 the scent of the elephant, which the bison accepts as 

 that of a friend, smothered that of man. The great 

 advantage offered by the elephant is the vastly better 

 chance of getting a clear shot, but you must set 

 against this the circumstance that shooting from a 

 pad is very like shooting from a boat on a calm but 

 ever-moving sea. The staunchest elephant does not 

 provide absolute safety. I have in mind the adven- 

 ture of a friend who discovered this to his cost ; he 

 wounded a bison, which instantly charged his elephant 

 and knocked her clean over, giving the rider a fall 

 which brought about a serious illness. 



ELEPHANTS 



The law has thrown a kindly protecting arm about 

 the elephant, and there is (unless some change has 

 recently been made) a fine of Rs.joo for shooting an 

 elephant of good character, or at all events one 

 against whose character nothing is known. The 

 Burmese and Karen cultivators in some parts opine 



