CUT OFF THE ROGUE'S HEAD. 221 



boldness ; we had brouglit the pursuit to a speedy conclusion by pushing up 

 to him even in a disadvantageous and dangerous position. 



The two Kurrabas with the pony and luncheon-basket now came up; and 

 the party with knives and ropes, who had heard the shots, were not far be- 

 hind them. Whilst my men were cutting off the feet I had some tif&n and 

 a cheroot; and the Kurrabas also applied themselves to their half-finished 

 weeds of the morning, discussing with great relish the events of the day's 

 sport. One of the Kurrabas made a light for us with two dry sticks in a 

 few minutes. The process is as follows : A notch is cut in a stick as 

 thick as one's little finger ; this is laid on the ground and held down with 

 the toes, the notched side being uppermost. The end of a stick about fifteen 

 inches long, and as thick as an ordinary lead-pencil, held vertically, is now 

 inserted in the notch, the end being first rudely sharpened. This is made 

 to revolve rapidly between the hands, under considerable downward pres- 

 sure. The sticks soon commence to smoke at the point of contact, and a 

 brown charred powder is worked out at the notch. In about a minute the 

 friction kindles a spark in the powder, which is then taken up, placed in a 

 piece of rag with a handful of dry grass or leaves, and blown into a blaze. 



When I had finished tiffin we set to work to roll the elephant over, as 

 I wanted to see the shoulder-shot, which was underneath. This we efiected 

 by working at one leg at a time with ropes and props. After a couple of 

 hours of indescribable labour we rolled the huge mass over. On examining 

 his head I found the marks of my unsuccessful shot of some months previ- 

 ous. This was a good Christmas-day's work ; and though I had no roast- 

 beef, and no plum-pudding, what did that matter ? had I not enjoyed the- 

 noblest sport to be had in the world ? Tigers and so on are all very well, 

 but give me a rogue-elephant for real sport. 



We went back to the carcass next day, and after immense labour suc- 

 ceeded in severing the head from the body. A path was cleared from 

 the main road for a bullock-cart, and we levered the head into it, and 

 brought it in triumph to Kakankot^. I had it put down by the roadside 

 for two days, during which time it was on view to the passers-by, after 

 which some Holoyas (low-caste Hindoos) were set to work to cut off the 

 flesh. I had the skull preserved complete, and the feet prepared for sub- 

 sequent conversion into footstools. The rogue was a large elephant, but 

 with poor tusks, only three feet eleven inches in length each when taken 

 out, ten inches in circumference at the gum, and weighing 22 i lb. the pair. 

 They were much curved upwards, which was one of the peculiarities by 

 •which he was known. Two-thirds of his tail were gone ; the sore at the 

 end of the remaining portion was ahve with maggots; and as his tail at 



