THE TERROR OF HUNSUR. II. 



OUR tragic adventure with Peer Bux, the rogue 

 elephant, related in the last chapter, was soon 

 noised abroad and served only to attract a greater 

 number of British sportsmen, bent on trying 

 conclusions with the " Terror of Hunsur," as this 

 notorious brute came to be called by the inhabitants 

 of the adjacent districts. A month had elapsed 

 since our ill-fated expedition, and nothing had been 

 heard of the rogue, although its known haunts had 

 been scoured by some of the most noted shikars of 

 South India. We began to think that the wounds 

 it had received in its encounter with us had proved 

 fatal, and even contemplated claiming its tusks 

 should its carcase be found, and presenting them 

 to K - as a memento of his terrible experience 

 with the monster, but it was a case of " counting 

 your chickens," for evidence was soon forthcoming 

 that its tusks were not to be had for the asking. 

 The beast had evidently been lying low while its 

 wounds healed, and had retreated for this purpose 

 into some of the dense fastnesses of the Begur 

 jungles. Among others who arrived on the scen< 

 at this time to do battle with the Terror were 

 two young officers from Cannanore one a subal- 

 tern in a native regiment, the other a naval 



