TIGERLAND 



in other words, instantaneously, requires no little know- 

 ledge of its anatomy, for although as in other animals 

 the brain and heart are the two vital organs, it is by no 

 means easy for the ordinary individual to locate either in 

 an elephant. 



The Forest Officer was the only one amongst us pos- 

 sessing sufficient knowledge for the task, but we could not 

 persuade him to accept it, for it happened he had known 

 the animal many years, and was much attached to it by 

 old associations. However, it was now evident that if we 

 were to save it from a lingering death, there was no time 

 to be lost for in another half-hour or so it would be, 



obviously, too late. Stimulated by this knowledge G . 



the magistrate, always prompt to take action, now came 

 forward. 



" I have never shot an elephant before," he said, 

 addressing the other, " but if you tell me where the bullet 

 should be placed, I will do the best I can " a speech 

 characteristic of the modesty of the man, who, as we 

 knew, could hit a rupee at eighty yards more easily than 

 most men could at ten. 



Meanwhile he had taken his rifle off the elephant, and, 

 throwing the breech open, was about to insert the cart- 

 ridges, when he remembered they were loaded with hollow 

 express bullets, and that he had no others with him nor 

 could he borrow any from us, as he knew that ours, too, 

 were of the same description, for, knowing the danger of 

 using solid bullets near a crowd, we had all, when starting 

 from camp, been careful to take none with us. 



Emptying all our pockets, we examined every cartridge 

 we possessed, on the chance of one with solid bullet 

 having been put in by mistake. Unfortunately, we were 

 all too careful sportsmen to mix our ammunition, and not 

 one could be found with which to end the poor brute's 

 sufferings now most harrowing to witness. 



Driven to desperation at the sight, we had almost 

 decided to use the hollow bullets, when at this moment a 

 native passed along the road behind us riding on a pony. 



" The very thing, by heavens," cried K , the Forest 



Officer, jumping up excitedly ; and while I was still wonder- 

 ing what he meant, G , who had grasped his meaning, 



138 



