I/O TALES OF A NOMAD, 



The female of the Oriental elephant does not carry 

 tusks, and it is advisable not to shoot her unless you come 

 so suddenly upon her as to necessitate killing her to ensure 

 your own safety. I was once following elephants, and on 

 passing round the trunk of a great tree came suddenly 

 upon a female elephant within eight yards of me. She 

 saw me at the same moment I saw her, and I shot her 

 instantly. 



We now set to work to cut out the tusks with axes. 

 Should any one ever shoot an elephant and be un- 

 provided with an axe, it is as well to know that if he 

 revisits the carcase in a week's time he can withdraw 

 the tusks from the skull without the least difficulty. 



I wanted the fore-feet also. This was a tedious 

 business, for we had to cut the elephant to pieces to get 

 at his feet, which were doubled under him. The Dyaks 

 then tied rattans round them, and having cut a circular 

 mark round the ankles by following the lines of the 

 rattans with a knife, they then hacked off the feet. 



Having got out the tusks and cut off the fore-feet we 

 started for camp in thorough good-humour. We 

 reached the river and skirted it. It made considerable 

 bends, and we could see a long way along the banks. 

 It was sundown, the hour at which the game came 

 down to drink. My orderly pointed out a stag to me. 

 He was on the same bank as ourselves at about 200 

 yards distance, and was stepping down to drink. His 

 horns were laid back, and as I aimed he twitched his 

 tail and took a step forward which brought him to the 

 very brink of the water. The setting sun must have 

 dazzled me, and have caused me to take the foresight 

 a little too full, for as I fired he collapsed and fell into 

 the river, but began struggling about, and on finishing 



