chap, x.] NIGHT-WATCH FOR ELEPHANTS. 27 3 
edge of the hole, and the heavy rifle balanced, waiting 
for an opportunity. I had a paper-sight arranged for 
night shooting, and I several times tried to get the 
line of an elephant’s shoulder, but to no purpose ; I 
could distinguish the sight clearly, but not the elephant. 
As I was watching the herd I suddenly heard a trum¬ 
pet close to my left, and I perceived an elephant quickly 
walking exactly towards my grave. I waited with the 
rifle at my shoulder until he was within about twelve 
paces; I then whistled, and he stopped and turned 
quickly, exposing his side. Taking the line of the 
fore-leg, I fired at the shoulder. The tremendous flash 
and smoke of ten drachms of powder completely blinded 
me, and the sudden reaction of darkness increased the 
obscurity. I could distinguish nothing ; but I heard 
a heavy fall, and a few moments after I could hear a 
rustling in the grass as the herd of elephants retreated 
into the grass jungles. Richarn declared that the 
elephant had fallen; but I again heard a rustling in 
the high grass jungle within eighty yards of me, and 
this sound continued in the same place. I accordingly 
concluded that the elephant was very badly wounded, 
and that he could not move from the spot. Nothing 
could be seen. 
At length the birds began to chirp, and the “ black¬ 
smith” (as I named one of the first to wake, whose 
two sharp ringing notes exactly resemble the blows of 
a hammer upon an anvil) told me that it was nearly 
daybreak. The grey of morning had just appeared 
when I heard voices, and I saw Mrs. Baker coming 
along the field, with a party of men, whom she had 
brought down from the village with knives and axes. 
She had heard the roar of the heavy rifle, and knowing 
the “ Baby’s ” scream, and the usual fatal effects, she 
had considered the elephant as bagged. The natives 
had also heard the report, and people began to accu¬ 
mulate from all quarters for the sake of the flesh. The 
elephant was not dead, but was standing about ten 
yards within the grass jungle ; however, in a short time 
T 
