Difficulty of Procuring Elephants. 419 



were useless, I could return them, but before I got his 

 letter both had succumbed. 



He wrote to the secretary to the Government of 

 Bengal, for permission to buy four for my division and 

 two for each of the others ; but the sum sanctioned 

 was altogether inadequate. A few years back, a good 

 howdah elephant could be purchased for Ks. 400. 

 Small baggage ones were of very little value, and 

 were often given away by the rich zemindars. But 

 the Bhootan war had changed all that ; the road from 

 opposite Gowhatty to Rungeah and beyond to the 

 foot of Dewangiri was almost impassable, owing to 

 the dreadful effluvia from the dead beasts, principally 

 elephants, lying about. The price had risen enor- 

 mously. As De B. could do nothing with the 

 Government, I asked permission to try, and what 

 with letters and telegrams I worried the chief 

 engineer, Bengal, to such an extent, that he at last 

 telegraphed back, " Purchase what you want at the 

 prices quoted," which was an upset of Rs. 2,000 

 each. I lost no time in acting, for fear the per- 

 mission might be withdrawn. I bought from B., 

 a tea-planter, a splendid koonkie for Rs. 2,500, 

 paying the excess myself. I bought two others from 

 T., a tea-planter, for Rs. 4,000, giving Rs. 2,500 for 

 one and Rs. 1,500 for the other, which had been cut 

 by a rhinoceros, and though good for baggage was 

 useless for sport. I picked up another for Rs. 1,700. 

 She was very good also for baggage, but a great 

 coward, so I lent her to the survey department in 

 exchange for Luchmie, a very fast staunch koonkie. 

 Being thus well set up, I soon explored the whole 

 country, and as the jungles swarmed with game, I 



