THE ELEPHANT. 155 



the most redoubtable adversaries that a hunter could 

 encounter. 



II. 



THERE is, however, an exception to what has just been 

 said as to the inoffensive character of the elephant. 

 As the male who conducts a herd never allows a rival 

 to approach it, there exists a certain number of solitary 

 old boys, who are sometimes most wicked brutes. At 

 certain seasons they become quite furious, and during 

 a week or two they kill whatever they encounter. 



Captain Dunlop gives some instances. . He tells us 

 specially of a solitary elephant in the Doon, known by 

 the name of Gunesh, which belonged to the Government 

 Commissariat. Having killed his keeper, he fled to the 

 jungles, carrying, fastened to his leg, a fragment of the 

 chain which had served to attach him. It was there- 

 fore easy to recognize him, and he is said to have killed 

 fifteen persons in fifteen years. 



A pedestrian courier of the English postal service, 

 whilst on his journey from Bagdad, with his bag of 

 despatches on his back, was pursued by a " solitary," 

 caught, and crushed beneath his feet. 



"Whilst the canal of Beejapore was being made, about 

 three miles from Dehra, an elephant, which had hidden 

 behind a bush, rushed on some native workmen. He 



