22 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



cover that he is leading you to some favorite haunt of 

 thick jungle or high grass, from which, when you least 

 expect it, he will suddenly burst out in full charge upon 

 you. 



Next to a " rogue" in ferocity, and even more perse- 

 vering in the pursuit of her victim, is a female elephant 

 when her young one has been killed. In such a case 

 she will generally follow up her man until either he or 

 she is killed. If any young elephants are in the herd, 

 the mothers frequently prove awkward customers. 



Elephant-shooting is doubtless the most dangerous of 

 all sports if the game is invariably followed up ; but 

 there is a great difference between elephant-killing and 

 elephant-hunting ; the latter is sport, the former is 

 slaughter. 



Many pei'sons who have killed many elephants know 

 literally nothing about the sport, and they may even leave 

 Ceylon with the idea that an elephant is not a dangerous 

 animal. There elephants are killed in this way, viz : 



The party of sportsmen, say two or three, arrive at 

 a certain district. The headman is sent for from the 

 village ; he arrives. The inquiry respecting the vicinity 

 of elephants is made ; a herd is reported to be in the 

 neighborhood, and trackers and watchers are sent out 

 to find them. 



In the mean time, the tent is pitched, our friends are 

 employed in unpacking the guns, and, after some hours 

 have elapsed, the trackers return : they have found the 

 herd, and the watchers are left to observe them. 



The guns are loaded and the party starts. The track- 

 ers run quickly on the track until they meet one of the 

 watchers who has been sent back upon the track by the 

 other watchers to give the requisite information of the 



