30 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



unexpectedly at a few paces' distance, the 

 chance of a hurried shot striking the nostril, 

 and so reaching the brain, must be slight 

 indeed, and it is under these circumstances 

 that men get caught through no fault of their 

 own. 



One hears occasionally of animals charging 

 at the shot. What happens, I think, generally 

 in these cases is that the beast is momentarily 

 stupefied, fails to locate the sound of the shot, 

 and in its first rush comes in the direction in 

 which it has been facing. This has happened to 

 the writer when shooting both bison and tsaing, 

 but on catching sight of him the animal has 

 immediately swerved and gone on. The result, 

 of course, may be different in the case of a beast 

 suspicious of danger who has seen its enemy, 

 as, for instance, a tiger crouched and watching 

 the man in front of him. Here the animal not 

 only scents danger, but sees before him the 

 person from whom it is to be apprehended. The 

 shot confirms his suspicions, and a charge is 

 just as likely to be the result as not. 



It is commonly supposed that the most 

 dangerous form of elephant shooting is the 

 pursuit of a rogue. I do not think that this is 

 the case, and the majority of men who have 

 hunted elephants will probably agree with me. 

 It is true that a rogue will charge on sight, but 

 this very fact is in one's favour, as when doing 

 so he presents a favourable opportunity for the 



