HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



of this mysterious head. There it has been for centuries, 

 at times buried under the water, but generally half sub- 

 merged, looking exactly like an elephant having a bath or 

 commencing to wade across the river. 



We pulled our canoe right up to it, and examined the 

 whole thing very carefully. I had seen it before, but 

 Cameron had not, and I could hardly tear him away from 

 it, so great was his interest. Mr. H. C. P. Bell, the 

 Archaeological Commissioner, has a photo of it half sub- 

 merged, with a native boy sitting on the head, and the 

 life-like illusion is perfect. 



To return to our " muttons," or rather " buffalo beef." 

 We landed on the east bank a little way lower down river, 

 and, accompanied by about twenty local Moormen, made 

 our way through a belt of luxurious vegetation bordering 

 the river, to a "wila" or swamp about a mile inland. 

 There we found the herd of buffalo out in the swamp, 

 and, though we were half a mile away, the wind was in 

 that direction, and half of the herd, probably more wild 

 than tame, bolted for the jungle. The rest, mostly cows 

 and calves, stayed where they were, and the doomed bull 

 was pointed out to me amongst them a fine young animal, 

 fully grown, with a small but symmetrical head of horns. 

 Accompanied by one native I walked quietly out into the 

 swamp, as there was no cover, luckily finding a strip of 

 dry land to walk on, and every time the herd got restive 

 I stopped or sat down and waited until they became quiet. 

 The bull was very suspicious, and stood, head erect, watch- 

 ing us the whole time. In this way I got to within about 

 150 yards, which I considered near enough as the cows 

 showed signs of bolting, and sat down to wait until the 

 bull offered me a broadside shot. Not a bit of it, how- 

 ever ; there he stood full face and watched us, like a 



146 



