66 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
pointed cone, instead of the original spherical but 
belted ball. In actual practice the rifle was not so 
powerful, as the shock upon impact was reduced by 
the pointed projectile, and was inferior to the larger 
surface of a hemisphere. The pointed bullet did 
not produce the same knock-down blow, and it was 
deflected from a direct course if it struck a 
bone. 
I was loaded with this new bullet upon one 
occasion when a very large rogue elephant was 
grazing in a lake, and we resolved if possible to 
shoot it. The lake was several miles in circumfer¬ 
ence, and was, as usual, surrounded by open grass¬ 
land, backed by the thickest jungle. In one 
locality there was a patch of perhaps 2 or 3 
acres of the densest thicket, growing partly in the 
water, and forming an isolated jungle separated only 
by about 100 yards of turf-like grass from the main 
body of the forest. If we could manage to place 
the guns behind some favourable bushes for 
concealment, close to the main jungle, and then 
drive the elephant into the isolated patch, it would 
probably march straight through, and expose itself 
to a steady shot at close quarters, from the hidden 
guns. 
My brother was my companion, and having 
taken our places, we sent the men round to disturb 
the elephant, and to drive it, if possible, in our 
direction. 
I was concealed behind a bush, only a few yards 
in front of the jungle behind me, and about 90 yards 
