380 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



head and shoulders were completely hidden from view be- 

 hind the clump. I was only distant some twenty paces, 

 but so noiselessly had we approached that we had not 

 been discovered. My men -had of course immediately 

 made themselves scarce behind neighbouring bamboo clumps. 

 The wind was also fortunately in our favour. I moved 

 slightly to one side so as to get in a raking shot from behind, 

 which would travel well forward. 



The gaur stood like a rock, and I had consequently a 

 magnificent shot. There was a tremendous stampede of feet 

 after I had fired, and I saw the bison, when the smoke cleared, 

 standing like a rock, head down, as if ready to charge the 

 moment he could catch sight of his invisible foes. We were 

 all perfectly motionless, however. I had also, immediately 

 after firing, taken up my stand behind a clump of bamboos. 

 A second shot from the 8-bore fired into the gaur's 

 shoulder now rang out. This was too much for him, as, 

 wheeling round, he dashed off down the steep hillside, but 

 brought up after going some 50 or 60 yards, and along- 

 side the trunk of a huge tree, where he stood motionless, 

 evidently done for. I walked quietly up and fired a right 

 and left behind the shoulder, on receiving which he immedi- 

 ately wheeled round and staggered up the hillside straight at 

 me. I had only time to cram in one cartridge as he blundered 

 along up to the clump behind which I had taken up my 

 stand, when he stood some three paces off snorting and 

 stamping at me, the picture of rage and defiance. 



I refrained from firing at his head, as I did not wish to 

 damage the frontal bone or the horns. I now noticed the 

 wound on his cheek ; the bullet had entered rather high up 

 to one side and passed out, causing only a severe flesh wound, 

 and without, as I afterwards found, damaging any of the 

 bones. So close was the animal that I could distinctly see 

 the white larvae left by flies on the surface of the wound. 



As the gaur remained stationary without showing any 

 further signs of aggression I fired for the centre of the chest. 

 On the smoke clearing I saw that although still standing he 

 was about to fall. After one or two vain attempts to keep his 

 feet the mighty beast sank slowly to the ground. My men 



