3 io WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



distinctly audible some way ahead. It was amusing at this 

 juncture to see with what longing eyes my servants and 

 coolies looked about them for suitable trees amongst whose 

 branches, should the elephant charge, they would find a safe 

 retreat. I then lit a match, blew it out, and noticing that the 

 current of smoke was in our favour, I moved quickly and 

 noiselessly forward. The elephant had in the meantime 

 moved into a shady patch of tall young bamboos, whose 

 stems were nowhere thicker than a man's wrist, and about 

 12 or 15 feet high; there was also a number of small 

 sapplings, but not one of a sufficient thickness to furnish a 

 retreat in case of a charge. We could now distinctly hear the 

 animal as he stood in the shade lazily flapping his ears. 



I have always found it the best policy, when possible, before 

 firing at large game such as elephants, rhino, gaur, or tsine, 

 to fix on a good solid bamboo clump, tree-trunk, or rock, 

 behind which to retreat after firing in case of a charge. It is 

 not always necessary, of course, and there is not always a 

 retreat available, but it should always be taken advantage of 

 when possible, as it is quite unnecessary to risk your life and 

 become foolhardy. 



An elephant or gaur, I have always found, when disturbed 

 or wounded will invariably be found standing or resting in 

 cover, head on towards the point by which danger is expected, 

 namely, the trail by which he has just entered. Animals have 

 sufficient instinct to know this, and, as happened in this case, 

 I found the elephant standing facing me. I crept up to 

 within about twenty paces, backed up by my gun-bearer, and 

 then for the first time got a glimpse of ivory that convinced 

 me that for once the Burmans had not exaggerated, and that 

 the animal now standing before me was the possessor of the 

 best pair of tusks it had ever been my good fortune to see, 

 and which now seemed within easy grasp. 



The animal's head was unfortunately hidden amongst the 

 bamboo leaves and branches, sufficiently to prevent my 

 obtaining the head-shot ; so creeping quietly round, fearful of 

 treading on dry leaves or twigs, I gradually worked round to 

 his flank. The wind must, however, have shifted, as wheeling 

 suddenly round with a low sharp snort of alarm, like the 



