252 ROGUE-ELEPHANT. [en. xv. 



then on the staff at Ceylon, and used, while accompanying the 

 Governor on his annual tour throughout the island, to have mag- 

 nificent sport in places rarely visited by Europeans. Indeed, his 

 character as a slayer of elephants was so fully established that he 

 was often called " elephant-king." 



451. On the party arriving one morning within the Mahagam- 



pattoo district, the Governor said to K g, " Surely you will not 



attack the desperate brute that lately killed those villagers and 

 the two letter-carriers?" The sportsmen modestly replied, "I 

 cannot say, sir ; perhaps I may." Now it is well known that a 

 rogue-elephant is always a formidable animal ; but one recently 

 driven from a herd by a stronger bull is particularly dangerous. 

 In his malignant rage he often wantonly attacks whatever he sees ; 

 and there are several instances of his having displayed extraordinary 

 patience in waiting for imprisoned men who had climbed into trees, 

 or retreated into caves, to avoid his fury. 



452. The elephant the Governor referred to was, at that time, 

 the terror of the surrounding neighbourhood ; for when maddened 

 by jealousy and rage at being expelled after a severe conflict from 

 the harem, and smarting from the blows and wounds inflicted by 

 his more powerful rival, he had ventured to attack an unfortunate 

 labourer, and finding how slight was the resistance offered, he had 

 since sought opportunities for wreaking his vengeance on man, of 

 whom he had now lost all his former instinctive dread. 



453. About four o'clock, as the Governor, Lady B g, and the 



staff, &c., were seated at dinner, which was nearly over, a message 

 that caused some excitement among the hearers was delivered to 



K g. The Governor inquired about it. K g explained 



that the Shircarree set as a watch had reported that the much 

 dreaded " Rogue " had just left the jungle and appeared upon the 



plain. K g asked leave to attack him. Lady B g begged 



that, escorted by a few gentlemen, she might be allowed to watch 



his proceedings from some safe spot. This K g acceded to, but 



stipulated that he was then to be left entirely to himself. On 

 getting a view of the low ground, and observing several herds of 

 elephants scattered over the extensive plain, her ladyship became 

 nervous, and returned to the encampment. Her brother, Mr. 



B 1 and Mr. G. (now living in London) remained ; and K g 



placed them in a secure position amidst some trees standing too 

 close together to admit of the elephant's forcing his large body 

 through, should he be merely wounded, and perchance take that 

 direction. 



454. After carefully examining the localities, K g made a 



detour to prevent the " Rogue " from winding him. There was 

 some brushwood, but no trees, to cover his approach. The vindic- 

 tive solitary animal was apparently brooding over his wrongs in an 

 open space rich with the luxuriant vegetation consequent on tropical 

 rains. He began to feed, striking the ground with each fore-foot alter- 

 nately, in order to loosen the grass from the soil. He then collected 

 the herbage with his trunk ; but before carrying the mass to his 



