THE ELEPHANT AT HOME 247 



him with the first discharge. Female elephants 

 accompanied by their young are also to be 

 treated with caution, as they will sometimes 

 attack without the smallest provocation. 



In old days, when these animals were in vast 

 numbers, the damage they did to the crops and 

 cultivation of the unarmed natives was enormous. 

 Stages erected in the paddy-fields for watchmen, 

 fires by night and similar devices availed but 

 little, as the cunning beasts soon learned to 

 disregard them. At that time rewards were 

 paid for their destruction, whereas to-day a 

 license has to be obtained before one can be 

 shot. This state of things was naturally an 

 encouragement to the sportsman, and the names 

 of mighty hunters 'Sam Baker,' Major Rodgers, 

 Palliser and others are remembered for their 

 deeds of prowess. Baker, afterwards known 

 more widely as Sir Samuel Baker, the whilom 

 leader of African exploration, has in his books 

 on Ceylon left most interesting accounts of his 

 experiences. Some notion of the number of 

 elephants in his day may be gathered from the 

 fact, vouched for by him, that in three days 

 three men killed no less than 104 of these great 

 beasts a slaughter only to be excused by the 

 damage inflicted by such hordes on the helpless 

 villagers. 



