ELEPHANTS. 181 



rogue elephant in the Billiga Eungam Hills, which he had 

 fired at and knocked down ; the brute got up again, and, 

 seeing his light clothing, gave chase, and very nearly 

 caught him. 



When bolting from an elephant, endeavour to blink 

 him by turning sharply off, down wind if possible. If in 

 bamboo jungle, it is not difficult to dodge him, but he will 

 catch you within twenty yards if you get into ground 

 where there is undergrowth, which he will brush through 

 like cobweb, while you are struggling in it with difficulty. 

 The late Major Gordon Cumming had a theory that, by 

 laming an elephant with a shot in the foot, he could be 

 killed with greater certainty than by risking the usual 

 head shots, which in heavy jungle result in many animals 

 escaping badly wounded, owing to the difficulty usually 

 experienced in hitting the brain. He told me that one 

 day, in the Sacrabyle jungles, he had followed up a herd, 

 and found the tusker under a tree, standing on three legs, 

 in the way they are in the habit of doing while thus 

 resting in shady spots. He could not get a favourable 

 position for a head shot, so crept up and fired into the sole 

 of one of the hind feet, which was raised from the ground. 

 The poor brute turned round and attempted to charge, but 

 was dead lame, and the hunter had no difficulty in giving 

 him a quietus. 



At first sight this appears a cruel method to adopt, 

 but, considering the large percentage of wounded elephants 

 that escape to suffer prolonged torture, it is probably more 

 humane than the ordinary plan. In addition to selecting 

 the usual tree of refuge near the firing point, it is very 

 desirable to scan the surroundings, to decide on lines of 

 retreat, free from impediments such as bushes, long gra--. 

 and creepers, in case of having to make a bolt of it with 



