A TALE OF THREE ELEPHANTS. 2O/ 



There were no words in plain Saxon that could do 

 justice to my feelings on this occasion, and I sat down 

 in such deep despondency that I had not even heart 

 enough to give the Dyak my opinion of him. 



He explained that he thought the elephant was killed 

 when it fell on its knees, and that he only fired by way 

 of helping to finish it off. 



I told him to get out of my sight, and not to let me 

 see him or hear his voice for the rest of the day. 



That evening I was in about as morose a mood as it 

 is possible for a man to be in, and I had to exercise self- 

 control to prevent myself from venting my ill-temper 

 upon my people. 



After all though, if sportsmen never had a misfortune, 

 if they brought everything to bag, the pleasure of sport 

 would be gone. 



In parts of North Borneo there is very fair deer 

 shooting to be had. The natives continually worry the 

 deer with dogs, spears, and nets ; and unless some steps 

 are taken to preserve them in a short time they will 

 disappear, or become so scarce as to render it not worth 

 while to go out after them. It would be very easy for 

 the Government to make small reservations where their 

 officers could occasionally enjoy a good day's sport ; but 

 they neglect all representations made to them on this 

 subject. An occasional day's sport varies the monotony 

 of existence in a dull out-of-the-way station, and the 

 Government make a grievous error in thus neglecting 

 the interests of their officers. Strangers, too, would come 

 for the purpose of shooting, and would carry away with 

 them some general knowledge of the country and its 

 capabilities which might have the effect of attracting 



