JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 19 



our game ; and the next moment our cicerones had 

 scampered pell-mell up into the nearest tree, where the 

 old brute immediately began whistling as loud as his 

 lungs would allow him, by which means I certainly 

 lost a first-rate chance of flooring a splendid tusk 

 elephant. 



By a chance shot, however, I sent a ball into the 

 temple of the last of the fugitive beasts as he trotted 

 past, and without a struggle or a groan the monster 

 sank down silently, dead upon the grass, with an 

 ounce bullet in his brain. 



It was some minutes before I could see any signs of 

 my new acquaintances, the Veddahs ; the contiguity 

 of the elephants, and the report of the gun, no doubt 

 kept them silent, but when they espied the prostrate 

 carcase, and the Malay and myself seated upon it, 

 they came forward with the most frantic yelling, and 

 grotesque dances imaginable ; in short, I would not 

 have given sixpence for Buddha's chance of notice, 

 had he put in a sudden appearance, so intense was 

 their adoration of us. 



This was getting by degrees too enthusiastic to 

 be pleasant, consequently, as soon as we conveniently 

 could, we made our exit, leaving the Veddahs to the 

 dead elephant and their own excited imaginations. 



Never having witnessed the Bosjesmans, or the 



late enterprising Mr. Harvey Leach's personation of 



"What is it?" I cannot say how nearly either of 



them assimilated to the Veddah, but weighing these 



c 2 



