108 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



He was certainly a king of beasts, and proudly he 

 advanced toward the point. Suddenly he disappeared ; 

 nothing could be seen but his trunk above the water as 

 he waded through the deep channel for a few yards, 

 and then reared his majestic form dripping from the 

 lake. He stood upon the " point." I never saw so 

 grand an animal ; it seemed as though no single ball 

 could kill him ; and although his head and carcase 

 were enormous, still his length of leg appeared dis- 

 proportionately great. With quick, springy paces he 

 advanced directly for his favorite tree and began his 

 process of rubbing, perfectly unaware of the hidden foes 

 so near him. 



Having finished his rubbing, he tore up several 

 bunches of grass, but without eating them, he threw 

 them pettishly over his back, and tossed some from side 

 to side. I was in momentary dread lest a horse should 

 neigh and disturb him, as they were within two hun- 

 dred paces of where he stood. Everything was, how- 

 ever, quiet in that direction, where the hiding coolies 

 were watching the impending event with breathless 

 interest. 



Having amused himself for some moments by kick- 

 ing up the turf and dirt and throwing the sand over his 

 back, he took it into his head to visit the main shore, 

 and for this purpose he strode quickly in the direction 

 of the encampment. I moved round the tree to secrete 

 myself as he advanced. He was soon exactly at right 

 angles with me as he was passing the tree, when he 

 suddenly stopped : his whole demeanor changed in an 

 instant ; his ears cocked, his eyes gleamed, his tail on 

 end and his trunk raised high in the air, he turned the 

 distended tip toward the tree from behind which I wa» 



