54 THE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 



have been a catastrophe, so I did not fire. One of them seemed inclined to have a long 

 look at us, until a hill dog of mine went at him and drove him away screaming. 



Next day I tracked the herd for many miles, but could not come up with them. I 

 hunted without success for several days, until I became so lame from a boil on the leg, that 

 I had to return to Delhi. 



Early in September of the same year, I disregarded all warnings about jungle fever, and 

 set out to have another try for Elephants in the Sewaliks. I took the precaution of 

 swallowing a glass of sherry with a good dose of quinine every morning when I got out of 

 bed, and I never had a touch of fever. The grass was tremendously high and thick, and the 

 heat in the narrow ' sotes ' very oppressive. It was generally impossible to move through 

 the jungle except by following the Elephant tracks. 



On the night of the 6th of September, soon after I had gone to bed (I was encamped at 

 the village of Russoolpoor, about sixteen miles from Roorkee), a man came to say that an 

 Elephant was feeding in a field not far off. At daylight next morning I started and went 

 to look for the tracks ; the man who had brought the news soon joined me and pointed out 

 the field in which the Elephant had been feeding. The crop was Indian corn, and it was 

 half eaten and trampled down by the brute, whose footmarks showed him to be a very large 

 one. Taking up the track where it left the field, we followed it towards the Sewaliks, and 

 after going a couple of miles found ourselves in thick jungle, where the tracking, which had 

 been sometimes rather difficult, now became easy enough. We reached the place where he 

 had drunk, and from which he had returned to the jungle. Further on we came to a place 

 where he had evidently stood for a long time ; and still further on, to where he had again 

 drunk. I had several times heard deer bolt through the jungle, but soon after leaving the 

 water I heard a rush which I felt sure must be the Elephant, and on following the track a 

 little further we found that I was right. After a time I again heard him, but the jungle 

 consisted of thick trees and creepers, and I could not see five yards. About a mile further 

 on I once more heard the Elephant in front of us, and the jungle being more open I ex- 

 changed the double gun I was carrying for a heavy single rifle, and ran forward for a shot. 

 Immediately there was a crash and a trumpet, and back charged an immense Elephant. My men 

 at once concealed themselves ; I was a few paces in front and saw no available cover. Two 

 stems, not thicker than my leg, were on my left, and I stepped behind these and placed my 

 rifle to my shoulder. The Elephant charged up to within ten paces and then stood still with 

 his trunk raised, his ears cocked, and his vicious little eyes searching in every direction. He 

 was not, although so close, in a favorable position for a deadly shot, so I waited with the 

 rifle to my shoulder for fully half a minute, hoping that he would turn his head a little. He 

 would not do so however, and as I expected him to discover me every moment I thought 

 it best to fire, and therefore aimed as I best could for the brain and pressed the trigger. 

 Under cover of the smoke I ran back to the nearest tree. The Elephant stood apparently 

 stupefied for a moment, and then turning, rushed into dense reed jungle, where, as I had 

 only a single barrel, I thought it unadvisable to follow him. 



Next day I moved camp a few miles and hunted several ' sotes ' without success. To- 



