A MEMORABLE ELEPHANT HUNT. 197 



terests of science, should, I think, give me a claim to consideration that 1 

 would not think of asking were I shooting merely for the sport and glory of 

 the thing. I shoot nothing that I do not want as a museum specimen. Pro- 

 fessor Ward, whose Natural History Establishment I represent, has tried long 

 and hard to purchase specimens of the Indian elephant, hut without success, 

 and at last I have heen sent out here at great expense and trouble, with the 

 elephant as the main object in view. But for the generosity of the Rajah of 

 Kulungud I should have been obliged to make this application to you long 

 ago. 



I have come up here again solely for elephants and find none where I ex- 

 pected. The season is rapidly coming to an end, when I shall be obliged to 

 If'ave these parts, and the chances are that, unless I am permitted to shoot an 

 elephant in the Government Forest as soon as possible, my work is doomed to 

 end in failure. I wish to kill a full-grown tusker, of which I would prepare 

 both skin and skeleton complete. 



Hoping that you will consider an exception in my favor justifiable under 

 the circumstances, I remain, dear sir. 



Yours obediently and respectfully, 



Wm. T. Hornaday. 



Everything depended upon this letter. Had I only been a 

 " Dr." or " Professor," or the possessor of any handle to my name, 

 I would have felt less doubtful of the result. 



My letter was received by Mr, Wedderburn and forwarded by 

 him, with a favorable indorsement, to his Grace the Duke of Buck- 

 ingham, Governor of the Madras Presidency. Almost by return 

 mail, it seemed, I received the following official document : 



Proceedings of the Madras Go^'ernjient. 



Read the following letter from the District Magistrate of Coimbatore, dated 

 November 10, 1877. No. 248. 



Order thereon dated November 14, 1877. No. 2670. 



The Governor in Council sanctions Mr. Wm, T. Hornaday shooting one 

 full-grown tusk elephant in the Animallai Forest. 



(Signed) C. G. Master. 



Secretary to Government. 



This was extremely gratifying in more ways than one. Aside 

 from the success of my plans, it gave me great pleasure to know 

 that my ai'duous labors as a field naturahst were substantially rec- 

 ognized, and that the Government had granted me a great favor 

 solely upon the merits of my case, in spite of the fact that I was 

 a nobody. "While I felt really entitled to an elephant, and it was 



