ELEPHANTS. 167 



the nucleus of a shikar luncheon at our mess some months 

 afterwards ; the tongues, however, proved to be impervious 

 to any knife in the establishment, being tougher than 

 indiarubber ; the bears' hams, too, although carefully 

 injected with brine, had become tainted near the bone, 

 so the baffled Sybarites had to be satisfied with more 

 civilised food. 



Cholera broke out in the camp at Hooliya, the day 

 following the sambur drive ; we therefore returned to 

 Kankanhully, where, getting " khubber" of a tiger and bears 

 we had an unsuccessful beat on the 4th of July,* return- 

 ing to Bangalore the following day. The news of our 

 success had preceded us, but some jealous friend started a 

 rumour that we had shot Commissariat elephants, and we 

 got unmercifully chaffed about it for a long time after- 

 wards, many people believing the report to be true. If it 

 is desired to move a herd of elephants that you may not 

 fire at, but which are in the way, when bison stalking foi 

 instance, give them your wind, from some distance not 

 less than 100 yards; if you approach nearer, be prepared to 

 receive the charge of a cow, for they are always more 

 pugnacious than the bulls, being solicitous for the 

 safety of their calves. Several of my friends have 

 been thus charged, and obliged to shoot the cow in 

 self-defence. 



When on the march the tuskers are usually in rear of a 

 herd ; at other times on the flanks, but seldom with the 

 main body, as the cows and younger taskers seem to bore 

 them. . 



When to windward of a herd you wish to scare, test 

 the strength of the wind, and estimate how long the 



* In a vast expanse of scrub jungle and boulders which 

 stretched away to the Denkanicotta forests. 



