162 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



beside him. On my approach, the recumbent one, 

 evidently having heard us, lifted his head and at 

 that moment I fired, putting a bullet through his 

 brain. Then I shot the remaining two. 



At the Bangalla River, in 1908, I had followed up 

 the spoor of four big males, and, coming up with 

 them, found one of their number lying down asleep, 

 while his companions stood beside him. Having 

 approached under cover of a large ant-hill to within 

 twenty yards of the herd, I had a perfect view of 

 the sleeping tusker, who was lying on his left side 

 with his head resting on its side and his feet 

 extended at right angles to his body. I sent a 

 single bullet from my '577 axite rifle through his 

 brain, and he never budged from his original 

 position, save for a few spasmodic kicks with his legs. 

 Of the remaining three, I had the good fortune to 

 pick off two as they were making off. 



Very many other instances of elephants lying 

 down on their sides have come under my notice, 

 but I feel sure that those cited will serve to 

 explode the ridiculous theory mentioned above. 



In addition, I may perhaps state that again and 

 again elephants, whom I have wounded in the 

 vicinity of the brain, have fallen and/r0 tern, lain on 

 their sides, but if not finished off, have eventually 

 risen and got away. 



Finally though the elephant appears to be a big 



