26 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



turn him aside. This is the only time it is 

 permissible to shout at elephants, unless one 

 wishes to provoke a charge. When a herd is 

 suspicious, and stands motionless just before 

 moving off, a shout will probably result in 

 one or more of the animals charging at once. 



As a result of your shot one of three things 

 will happen. Your elephant may be knocked 

 over and lie dead as mutton, with a bullet through 

 his brain ; or he may merely be stunned, and 

 lie bellowing on the ground ; or he may wheel 

 round and make off. To take the last case 

 first. If the ground admits of it, rush after him 

 at once, and try to get alongside for the ear- 

 shot. If you cannot manage this, fire under 

 his tail and look out for squalls ! He will 

 probably wheel round and charge on the spot, 

 thus giving you the chance of a forehead shot. 

 This should turn him, if it doesn't drop him. 

 As he turns to continue the retreat, you may 

 have time to give him a shot in the ear. He 

 will not go far now. He has three shots in 

 the head and one in the tail, and is sure to be 

 in an uncommonly bad temper ; he will wait 

 for you in the thickest patch of cover he can 

 find, and will charge out at you as soon as he 

 sees or hears you. And so the game goes on 

 until, in one of his charges, your bullet finds 

 the brain, and over rolls the huge beast like 

 a shot rabbit. If your first shot has knocked 

 him over and merely stunned him, his bellowings 



