72 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



male with valuable tunics, it is singled out and separated from the 

 herd. The leading hunter follows the retreating elephant, accom- 

 jNinifd by his companions in single h'le. After a close hunt, keep- 

 ing within 10 yards of the game, a sudden halt becomes necessary 

 as the elephant turns quickly round and faces its pursuers. 



The greatest coolness is required, as the animal, now thoroughly 

 roused, is prepared to charge. The hunters separate to right and 

 left, leaving the leader to face the elephant. After a few moments, 

 during which the hunter insults the animal by shouting uncompli- 

 mentary remarks concerning the antecedents of its mother, and 

 various personal allusions to imaginary members of the family, 

 the elephant commences to back a half-dozen paces as a preliminary 

 to a desperate onset. This is the well-known sign of the coming 

 charge. A sharp shrill trumpet ! and, with its enormous ears 

 thrown forward, the great bull elephant rushes towards the 

 apparently doomed horse. As quick as lightning the horse is 

 turned, and a race commences along a course terribly in favour of 

 the elephant, where deep ruts, thick tangled bush, and the branches 

 of opposing trees obstruct both horse and rider. Everything now 

 depends upon the sure-footedness of the horse and the cool dexterity 

 of the rider. For the first 100 yards an elephant will follow at 

 20 miles an hour, which keeps the horse flying at top speed before 

 it. The rider, even in this moment of great danger, looks behind 

 him, and adapts his horse's pace so narrowly to that of his pursuer 

 that the elephant's attention is wholly absorbed by the hope of 

 overtaking the unhappy victim. 



In the meantime, two hunters follow the elephant at full 

 gallop; one seizes his companion's reins and secures the horse, 

 while the rider springs to the ground with the same agility as a 

 trained circus-rider, and with one dexterous blow of his Hashing 

 sword he divides the back sinew of the elephant's hind leg about 

 1C inches above the heel. The sword cuts to the bone. The 

 elephant that was thundering forward at a headlong sj>eed suddenly 

 halts ; the foot dislocates when the great weight of the animal 

 pre-sses upon it deprived of the supporting sinew. That one cut 

 of the sharp blade disables an animal which appeared invincible. 



As the elephant moves both legs upon the same side simultane- 

 ously, the disabling of one leg entirely cripples all progress, and 

 the creature becomes absolutely helpless. The hunter, having 

 delivered his fatal stroke, springs nimbly upon one side to watch 

 the effect, and then without difficulty he slashes the hack sinew 

 of the remaining leg, with the result that the animal bleeds to 

 death. This is a cruel method, but it requires the utmost dexterity 



