THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 49 



smell is highly developed, more so than in most 

 animals. 



It is often difficult to know what to do when 

 a herd is found just after they have stopped 

 feeding. When it can be managed, it is best 

 to wait till the evening, when they will wander 

 into thinner jungle and commence to feed. 

 But in the rains the weather cannot always be 

 relied on; the wind may veer round, and the 

 herd depart as silently as shadows. When the 

 herd is at rest, the risk of alarming it before 

 finding a big tusker is greatly increased, so that 

 whenever possible it is wise to wait till they 

 have begun to feed again. 



As a last word, let me caution beginners 

 against attempting to follow elephants into 

 really dense jungle or high kaing grass. No 

 good can possibly result. It is like pursuing 

 them in the dark. The elephants themselves 

 in such places can only follow elephant paths, 

 and if anything should occur to turn the herd, 

 they will stampede back on their tracks, a 

 practice they are rather given to. There is 

 then no hope for the hunter, shoot he never so 

 straightly. He may turn the foremost elephants, 

 but he will be overrun by those pressing on 

 in rear. I have tried it myself; but it is 

 a foolish game, and one which will sooner 

 or later bring certain disaster in its train. 

 Nearly all accidents that occur when after 



