ELEPHANTS. 537 



Elephant- Elephant-shooting, which is always practised on foot, is pro- 



Shooting, nounced to be the most dangerous of all sports by Sir Samuel Baker, 

 since although many elephants may be killed without any clanger or harm, it is 

 almost inevitable that the charge of a wounded animal will have to be encountered 

 sooner or later by the sportsman. In shooting the Indian elephant a thorough 

 knowledge of the position of the brain in the skull is essential ; as the three chief 

 head-shots depend entirely on this. Of these three shots the one known as the 

 front-shot should be planted in the forehead about three inches above the line of 

 the eyes when the elephant is standing with its head in the ordinary position and 

 facing the sportsman. When, however, the elephant is charging with its head 

 thrown up, the front shot to prove fatal must be aimed much lower down, in the 

 upper part of the trunk, and as the bullet has then to traverse a great thickness of 

 flesh and bony tissue before reaching the brain, everything depends upon its pene- 

 trating power. Indeed, although elephants have frequently been killed by well- 

 planted bullets from small-bore rifles, all who have had much experience of this 

 sport are unanimous as to the importance of shooting with rifles of heavy 

 calibre. The other two fatal shots in the head are the side, or temple-shot, and 

 the rear-shot just behind the ear. The shot behind the shoulder is not in much 

 favour. 



Allusion has already been made to the generally timid and pacific nature of 

 the wild Indian elephant ; and there can be little doubt that in many cases, when 

 these animals charge, they do so more from sudden alarm and fright than from any 

 innate viciousness. 



When an elephant does charge, it requires all the coolness and presence of 

 mind of the sportsman to avoid a catastrophe. "A grander animated object," 

 writes Mr. Sanderson, " than a wild elephant in full charge can hardly be imagined. 

 The cocked ears and broad forehead present an immense frontage; the head is 

 held high, with the trunk curled between the tusks, to be uncoiled in the moment 

 of attack ; the massive fore-legs come down with the force and regularity of 

 ponderous machinery ; and the whole figure is rapidly foreshortened, and appears to 

 double in size with each advancing stride. The trunk being curled and unable to 

 emit any sound, the attack is made in silence, after the usual premonitory shriek, 

 which adds to its impressiveness. The usual pictorial representations of the Indian 

 elephant charging with upraised trunk are accordingly quite incorrect." 



In some cases the sportsman has to stalk a herd of elephants, and to pick out 

 the finest tusker from among the males in the rear ; while at other times he has to 

 track up a particular solitary male, which may be either a " rogue " or a herd-tusker 

 temporarily separated from his companions. When a herd discovers the presence 

 of a foe, the individual that first scents him usually gives vent to a short, shrill 

 trumpet, upon which the rest stand perfectly still for a few minutes before making 

 up their minds in which direction to flee. But at other times the whole herd may 

 make off at once, without a sound being uttered. Sometimes the herd will mistake 

 the direction of the danger, and stampede straight for the sportsmen, whose position 

 is then one of considerable danger ; his best plan being to stand alongside a tree or 

 clump of bamboo. In cases where they are unaccustomed to the sound of firearms, 

 Mr. Sanderson states that elephants will stand huddled together, shrinking at the 



