166 TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



to Toonacadavoo — but we persistently refused to be interviewed on 

 the subject of wild elephants. 



The next day I sent the men back with a week's provisions, by the 

 end of which time they had carried off all the bones without being 

 seen by any one, and deposited them in a safe place in the Kulun- 

 gud forest. I may add in this connection that they were faithful 

 to their oath, at least to a great extent, and I doubt if the peojDle 

 of Cochin have even yet heard of that affair. I suppose I did not 

 do altogether right about that elephant, and many severe moralists 

 will condemn me. When they do, I shall reply with the well-worn 

 formula, " It was all in the interest of Science." Verily, science, like 

 charity, covers a multitude of sins. I hate a scientific thief as much 

 as any one — and the world is full of them — but if any one can 

 steal aught from me, that was not mine yesterday, and may not be 

 mine to-morrow, and which I shall never miss nor ask for, he is 

 welcome to it. 



" He that's robbed, not wanting what is stolen, 

 Tell him not of it, and he is not robbed at all." 



I am positive the Rajah of Cochin never missed that tusker from 

 the vast herds which roam through his territories, and, considering 

 the purpose and the cii'cumstances, I think I was justified in tak- 

 ing it. 



During the month of September I spent a good share of my 

 time in hunting smaller kinds of game, deer of all kinds in par- 

 ticular. Being still desirous of taking another elephant for its 

 skin, I left my old camp at Tellicul, moved farther up the Teckadee 

 River and camped in a fine open spot called Moochpardi. The 

 hunting ground about this place was, excepting for elephants, all 

 that we could ask, and we endeavored to make the most of it. 



The commonest animal in the Animallais, after the black monkey, 

 is the axis deer ( Cervus axis), or " spotted deer " of sportsmen. 

 It was an understood thing between my men and me, that we could 

 go out any day and bring in one of these beautiful animals, and we 

 counted it exceedingly hard luck if we ever went out for deer and 

 were obliged to return without one. Had we been so disposed, we 

 could have slaughtered a great many of them, for thej' were very 

 numerous, but we never shot even one which we did not positively 

 need, either for skin, skeleton, or venison. From first to last we 

 killed about twenty, a very moderate score, considering the num- 

 ber of tempting opportunities we had. I hate to see game 



