THE TERROR OF HUNSUR. 39 



learned in elephant lore, that he would one clay 

 take human life. 



When captured in the kheddahs in Michael's 

 Valley, Coimbatore district, the European official 

 in charge of the kheddah operations imagined the 

 animal would bring a fancy price ; but at the 

 public sale of the captured herd no one would 

 give a bid for him, although his tusks alone 

 would have fetched over a 'thousand rupees for 

 their ivory. The fatal blemish the divided tail 

 was soon known to intending purchasers, and 

 there being no bidders he had to be retained 

 for Government use. 



The Commissariat Department was justly proud 

 of Peer Bux. He had done good service for 

 six years. Did the heavy guns stick in the mud 

 when the artillery was on its way to Bellary, 

 Peer Bux was sent to assist, and with a push 

 of his massive head he would lift the great 

 cannon, however deep its wheels might be im- 

 bedded in the unctuous black cotton soil. Were 

 heavy stores required at Mercara, Peer Bux 

 would mount the steep ghaut road, and think 

 nothing of a ton and a half load on his back. 

 The Forest Department too found him invaluable 

 in drawing heavy logs from the heart of the 

 reserves. His register of conduct was blameless, 

 and beyond occasional fits of temper during the 

 must season once a year he was one of the most 

 even-tempered as well as one of the most useful 

 beasts in the Transport establishment. 



The Commissariat sergeant at Hunsur, who had 



