CHAPTER XIII. 



EPISODES IN ELEPHANT SHOOTING 

 A MAN-KILLING MUCKNAH 



I CERTAINLY began big game shooting at 

 the wrong end, i.e., before becoming a steady 

 shot by practice at black buck and spotted deer, 

 etc. ; I had virtually to commence with elephants 

 and bison. The result was that I failed to bag 

 many animals which would certainly have been 

 mine had I sown my wild oats of over-anxiety to 

 bag, and keenness, upon more commonplace and 

 less exciting game. 



The first occasion upon which I ever saw wild 

 elephants was in Assam, and by moonlight. One 

 night, after dinner, I was told that they had invaded 

 the tea estate on which I was then working as 

 assistant -manager, and that they were near the 

 tea-house. Taking an 8-bore rifle, I went out to 

 look for them. Just behind the tea-house, when 

 I got near to the latter, I saw some shadowy sterns 

 disappearing in the gloom, and hastily pitching and 

 pulling, I fired at one of them, and accelerated the 

 retreat of the trespassers. 



I then went to bed, and had fallen asleep when 

 I was awakened by a man who told me that the 



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