1 74 ELEPHANTS. 



the time at Bangalore with the Ifith Lancers, and during 

 an expedition to the jungles of Southern Mysore, he had 

 fired at and wounded a tusker, which, although severely 

 hit, charged, and chased him through some bamboo jungle. 

 Unfortunately the elephant had his wind, and, although 

 several times blinked by clumps of bamboos, the animal 

 invariably found him out again, and finally was on the 

 point of catching him, when he managed to double round a 

 big bamboo, but his further flight was barred by a rock, 

 alongside which the tree was growing. He now jammed 

 himself into a corner, but the tusker scented him out, and 

 made several thrusts at him with his tusks, most provi- 

 dentially missing him every time. The animal then 

 retired, probably imagining he had killed his antagonist, 

 or he may have been blinded or stupefied by the shot. 

 The latter seems a likely solution, as- under ordinary 

 circumstances his trunk would have been used to drag the 

 victim out, in order to trample him to death. 



Provided the trail of a herd is struck about midday, 

 and is not more than six hours old, it ought to be followed 

 up, even if leading straight away from camp, for elephants 

 generally rest for several hours when the sun is high, and 

 do not recommence feeding until three o'clock in the after- 

 noon. For instance, if at noon a six hours' old trail is hit 

 off, the elephant would have had four hours' feeding (on 

 the march) before the daily halt, about 10 a.m., and in that 

 time would have covered about six miles, therefore three 

 hours are available to catch the herd up before they move 

 again from the halting place, some six miles distant. 

 Another way of looking at the problem is that, in addition 

 to the morning's stroll of, say twelve miles, another six 

 miles, plus the distance from the finish to camp, must be 

 added for this enterprise, exclusive of that covered after 



