2l8 
COLOMEL NUmTINGALE's LETTER. 
he only went the faster. I therefore after some tniie 
got back HI to the howdah and sat waiting the final smash, 
which came very soon ; for the elephant seeing a large 
tree made for it and dashed us against it, and 1 found 
myself falling from a height of ten feet, howdah and all, 
backwards ; it weighs 250 lbs., so you may fancy the crash 
with which we came down. The howdah was broken into 
thirty pieces scattered all round me, the very seat was in 
bits, yet not a bone had I or my man broken. Did you 
ever hear of a more providential escape? As I fell, 1 
thought I must be smashed, and after the crash I jumped 
up amazed but only bruised. 1 declare I break out into 
a perspiration when I think of the scrimmage, but then, 1 
was as cool as I ever was. The elephant ran for twenty- 
two miles, and being bitten and wounded in so matiy 
places IS not yet well enough to be brought in. Well, 
after picking up the pieces, I felt as you may suppose 
somewhat riled with my friend the Panura ; so as I felt 
sure he must be very seedy, if not actually dead after so 
many balls, I reloaded my guns and walked to the spot 
where the fight had taken place, as I was not going to 
be done by him. We advanced very cautiously as you may 
fancy ; at last we saw his outline in the grass about fifteen 
yards ofif, and telling my people to keep steady I fired into 
the heart — no row, so up I rushed with a yell, and the man- 
eater of Lakara was my own. Oh I such a snifFler ! Height 
at shoulder, four feet two inches ; length of animal, ten feet 
two inches; length of skin, twelve feet six inches. His fangs 
were exactly four of my fingers in length ; as he was brought 
in, whole villages turned out and abused him. So ended my 
trip : in six days 1 bagged eight tigers, two nhilgie and a 
