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CHAPTER XII. 



AN ELEPHANT-CATCHING EXPEDITION INTO THE HILL-TRACTS 



OF CHITTAGONG. 



ENTER THE HILL-TRACTS — ENDURANCE OF THE MEN — MY CAMP ARRANGEMENTS — ORDER 

 OP MARCH — FIRST NIGHT's ENCAMPMENT — PRECAUTIONS AGAINST MALARIA — SECOND 

 day's march — HILLMEN — ENCAMPMENT — ELEPHANTS COLLECTING FODDER — COOKERY 

 IN THE JUNGLES — THIRD DAY's MARCH — A DIFFICULT CLIMB — QUICKSAND — AN 

 ELEPHANT ROLLS DOWN A HILLSIDE — CHARMED DUCKS — A FALSE ALARM — REACH 

 THE CHENGREE RIVER — NEW YEAR's EVE — JUNGLES — CANES — REMARKABLE CREEPERS 

 — NOVEL FISHING — SCDDAR ALI SURROUNDS A HERD OF ELEPHANTS — ROOKIES — 

 THEIR CRUELTIES — MARCH TO JADOOGAPARA — THE STOCKADE — THE DRIVE — CAPTURE 

 THIRTY-SEVEN ELEPHANTS — A FEMALE ALMOST TAKES ME IN REAR. 



ON the 29th December I stood at the edge of the jungle at Eajamaka- 

 Bheeta, whilst the men entered in single file, each salaaming and crying 

 Allah ! Allah ! by way of invoking luck. The matchlock-men led the van, 

 firing feux-de-joie with a few rounds I had given them from the magazine 

 to celebrate the commencement of our enterprise. Each coolie carried a 

 springy bamboo lath across his shoulder, with a basket at each end, through 

 which the bamboo passed. These baskets contained fifteen days' provi- 

 sions, as it was uncertain when we might meet the provision-boats com- 

 ing up the Chengree ; and should we fall in with elephants on our way 

 a halt would be necessary. Each man's rations weighed 33 lb., and as 

 the head-men and matchlock-men made their gangs carry their rations as 

 well as their own, and each had a few cooking-pots, the weights were over 

 40 lb. per man. With tliis they marched for several days from morning 

 tni night, in hilly country, often in the beds of streams, and through 

 bamboo-cover and long grass, under a broiling sun. The men were gen- 

 erally of miserable physiqiie according to our notions, but they had the 

 patience and endurance of mules. On the third day of marching I saw 



