Running through the smoke with a spare rifle I killed
the last elephant. They were all bagged--five elephants within thirty
seconds from the first shot fired. Wortley had commenced well, having
killed his first elephant with one shot.
We found breakfast ready on our return to the horses, and having
disturbed this part of the country by the heavy volley at the herd, we
returned to Minneria.
I was convinced that we could expect no sport in this neighbourhood; we
therefore held a consultation as to our line of country.
Some years ago I had entered the north of the Veddah country from this
point, and I now proposed that we should start upon a trip of discovery,
and endeavour to penetrate from the north to the south of the Veddah
country into the 'Park.' No person had ever shot over this route, and
the wildness of the idea only increased the pleasure of the trip. We had
not the least idea of the distance, but we knew the direction by a
pocket compass.
There was but one objection to the plan, and this hinged upon the
shortness of V. Baker's leave. He had only ten days unexpired, and it
seemed rash, with so short a term, to plunge into an unknown country;
however, he was determined to push on, as he trusted in the powers of an
extraordinary pony that would do any distance on a push. This
determination, however destroyed a portion of the trip, as we were
obliged to pass quickly through a lovely sporting country, to arrive at
a civilised, or rather an acknowledged, line of road by which he could
return to Kandy. Had we, on the contrary, travelled easily through this
country, we should have killed an extraordinary amount of game.
We agreed that our route should be this. We were to enter the Veddah
country at the north and strike down to the south. I knew a bridle-path
from Badulla to Batticaloa, which cut through the Veddah country from
west to east; therefore we should meet it at right angles. From this
point V. Baker was to bid adieu, and turn to the west and reach Badulla;
from thence to Newera Ellia and to his regiment in Kandy. We were to
continue our direction southward, which I knew would eventually bring us
to the 'Park.'
Nov. 22.--We moved our encampment, accompanied by the headman and his
followers; and after a ride of fourteen miles we arrived at the country
of Hengiriwatdowane, a park-like spot of about twelve square miles, at
which place we were led to expect great sport. The appearance of the
ground was all that we could wish; numerous patches of jungle and single
trees were dotted upon the surface of fine turf.
