198 HOW TO FOLLOW WOUNDED ELEPHANTS. 



individuals that are nervous about the stray cattle, pariah-dogs, and jackals 

 that often prowl round their pickets, lie down to sleep. The idea prevailed 

 in old days that elephants had no joints and could not lie down. A good 

 estimate of the calibre of a wild tusker may generally be arrived at by the 

 impression of his tusk in soft soil. One that will admit five fingers in the 

 groove is well worth following ; his tusks will be over 6 lb. the pair. 



In single-elephant shooting, a very remarkable circumstance, wliicli the 

 sportsman should be aware of as occurring in their retreat, is, that all noise 

 often ceases after the first headlong rush of a hundred yards or so, and the 

 novice may suppose the elephant has stopped, whereas he has merely sub- 

 sided into a quick, noiseless walk, and though a person be close at hand, the 

 brushing of the boughs against the beast's tough sides will scarcely be heard. 

 I have lost more than one elephant through advancing cautiously when I 

 thought the wounded beast had stopped, whilst he was rapidly putting him- 

 self beyond the reach of pursuit. The noiselessness with which a whole 

 herd also makes off on occasions when it suspects danger and seeks to 

 avoid observation, is equally astonishing, 



A plan I always pursue in following wounded elephants if they cannot 

 be overtaken in the first burst, and have to be followed far, is to send two 

 jungle-men ahead on the track, and to follow with my gun-bearers a hundred 

 yards behind. Tliis is the safest plan for tlie trackers, as they can creep 

 silently on and see or hear the elephant before he perceives them. An 

 advance can then be made with a knowledge of the position of the enemy; 

 but for all to approach together in the first place is likely to give the elephant 

 w^arning, and he may do damage before his proximity is suspected. In all 

 encounters with wild beasts it is more than half the battle to strike the first 

 blow. I have seen all but the most plucky trackers scatter and flee before 

 an unexpected attack by a wounded wild animal ; the effect is that of a sur- 

 prise, and the success is with the side that effects it. A Sholaga was killed 

 on the Billiga-rungun hills some years ago when out with two sportsmen ; 

 an ambushed tusker (wounded) suddenly rushed out, the trackers fell, and 

 one was trampled to death on the spot. Had they been sent forward to 

 make their own observations this would not have happened. 



As to there being any greater danger in shooting rogue elephants than 

 herd-tuskers, as is usually supposed, I have much doubt. In the first 

 place, in single-elephant shooting the having only one animal to deal M^itli 

 is an immense advantage. There is little danger of being run over by acci- 

 dent, as in a mob ; and it will be found that, in charging, single elephants, 

 though perhaps more liable to attack in the first place, are not more deter- 

 mined than members of herds, A female with a young calf is infinitely 



