56 THE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 



My battery consisted of a single-barrelled two-grooved five-bore rifle, weighing sixteen 

 pounds, carrying a spherical belted ball (hardened with quicksilver), and a charge of one ounce 

 of powder ; and two double-barrelled ten-bore rifles, fourteen pounds in weight, carrying 

 hardened spherical bullets with nine drams of powder. My friend F. accompanied me, and 

 I lent him one of the double rifles ; he had also a single-barrelled Whitworth. 



We began hunting at Poordooni, about five miles above Hurdwar. The first two days 

 we found fresh tracks, but no Elephants ; on the third day we were more fortunate. After 

 in vain attempting to follow up the fresh track of an Elephant which we soon lost on stony 

 ground, we suddenly came upon him as we were descending a small valley. He was un- 

 conscious of our presence, so we stalked behind a bamboo bush and waited for him to pass 

 us. As he was leisurely passing within fifteen yards I made a slight noise to attract his 

 attention, and as he cocked his ears to listen I took a steady aim at his temple. To my 

 disgust the cap snapped ! The Elephant at once turned and made off. I ran after him, but 

 could not get a fair shot, so I let him go, so as to give him time to get over his alarm. We 

 now went to some water which he was in the habit of frequenting, and sent a man on his 

 track with orders to watch him and bring us word if he stopped. After an hour or two the 

 man rejoined us at the water with the news that the Elephant had halted under a shady 

 tree. We at once set out after him, and on approaching the place soon heard him. Going 

 carefully towards the sound we discovered that he was lying on his side. Creeping quietly 

 round we got within fifteen yards of his head ; the ground was quite open, with the excep- 

 tion of a few bare stems. I now wished to walk up and shoot him in the head, while F. 

 covered my retreat from behind a tree in case I did not kill the beast. R, however, wished 

 to accompany me, which I did not think safe, and during the momentary hesitation the 

 opportunity was lost and the Elephant began to rise. As he straightened his forelegs I 

 fired at his forehead with the heavy rifle ; F. gave him right and left about the ear, and I 

 gave him one from the double barrel as he went off. After going a few yards he fell on his 

 knees, but recovered himself directly ; I fired the remaining barrel in hopes of making him 

 bleed and thus assist in tracking him. We followed him as hard as we could for several 

 miles, but had at last to give up the chase as hopeless. 



Next day we were unable to track him, so we shifted our ground, and crossing the 

 Sewaliks by Kansrao, went to Russoolpoor, and from thence hunted the various ' kohls ' 

 in the neighbourhood. For four or five days we could meet with no Elephants, but on the 

 1 3th we heard of some in Undera Kohl. 



Taking the man who had seen the Elephants with us, we started early and went up the 

 ' kohl.' We could find no tracks in it, so we ascended the hills between the Undera and 

 Beenj ' rdos ' to the place where the Elephants had been last seen. Taking up the tracks, we 

 followed them through all sorts of extraordinary places, across 'Beenj and another ' rdo! In 

 the latter we saw an Elephant with one small tusk, and got down to within twenty-five yards 

 of him, but he was very wary, and either heard or winded us and made off without giving us 

 a chance. He went up the very path we had come down, passing close to some men whom 

 we had left there. 



