THE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 57 



We returned on his track for a short distance, but gave it up, and had just sat down to rest 

 when we heard a crash on the other side of the valley, and on looking up saw a magnificent 

 old tusker forcing his way through the trees. We at once set out after him, but on reaching 

 the place, he had gone, and we could see nothing of him. After some time we discovered that 

 he had crossed to Boolawalla, whither we followed him, but lost his tracks in the stony ' rdo.' 



Returning to Beenj we met some woodcutters, who informed us that they had seen an 

 Elephant go into Amsote. We went to the place and found plenty of tracks, among others 

 a large fresh one which led along a path which went up the ' sote.' I followed it for some 

 time, but at last reached a spot where it appeared that the Elephant had been going the 

 other way, so I turned round. I had hardly done so when I heard a noise, and on looking 

 round, saw a tusker about thirty yards off. Had I gone a few paces forward I should 

 have come right on him : as it was, he heard or saw us and made a rush. I ran as hard as 

 I could to get a shot, but he would not give me a very good one, and I had to fire hurriedly 

 behind his ear at about twenty-five yards. He reeled to the shot, and F. gave him one 

 with one of my heavy double barrels. I took the other, and gave him a second shot behind 

 the ear. He seemed quite stupefied ; but on F.'s hitting him again he trumpeted and went 

 down the ' sole.' I gave him my last barrel behind the right ear, but away he went, slowly, 

 and bleeding a good deal. We followed for some distance, and then gave up, as it was 

 becoming dark, but left directions with the woodcutters to keep a sharp lookout, promising 

 a reward if they found him. 



Next day we sent several men out to look for tracks, but none having returned by two 

 o'clock, we went up Beenj and explored various curious dark ' sotes,' but without success. 

 On the 15th, we had no better luck, and F.'s leave being up on the 16th, we parted, and I 

 marched for Rikki Kase, in the north-east corner of the Doon, where the Ganges leaves the 

 hills. Arriving there on the 19th, I spent two days in searching for a Rogue Elephant, 

 who was said to be in the neighbourhood, but I was unable to find him. 



On the 22nd, I crossed the Ganges, and encamped at a village called Kankar. Here I 

 obtained news of Elephants. I was out early <3n the. morning of the 23rd, and soon found 

 fresh tracks, which I followed in an easterly direction for several miles ; they then turned 

 and brought us back nearly to the place where we first found them, a large jungle of * mil' 

 and ' burroo ' reeds extending in a belt along the foot of the hills. Ascending a low hill 

 above this, I sent a man up a tree to look out, and he soon saw an Elephant not far off. I 

 went round to the place, and found five Elephants standing in some thick jungle at the foot 

 of the hill. I crept carefully down to within twenty yards, and watched them for some time. 

 There were an old tusker with a good pair of tusks, another with one tusk, two ' maknds ' 

 or females, and a young tusker. The single tusker was nearest me, and I carefully studied 

 his head to make out where the brain lay, and waited for him to turn it in a good posi- 

 tion. At length he turned straight towards me, and taking a most careful and steady aim, 

 I fired. I made certain of bagging him, but, whether from being above him or some other 

 cause, I must have miscalculated the angle, for he merely staggered, and went off with the 

 rest of the herd without giving me the chance of another shot. 



H 



