Five were killed; and if noise and
smoke add to the fun, there was certainly plenty of it. Wortley and my
man Wallace now swam across the river and cut off the elephants' tails.
We returned to the horses, and moved to the 'Cave,' meeting with no
farther incidents that day.
Dec. 4--We saw nothing but deer the whole of the day, and they were so
wild that we could not get a shot. It was therefore a blank.
Dec. 5--We started early, and for five miles we tracked a large herd
of elephants through fine open country, until we were at length stopped
by impenetrable jungle of immense extent, forming the confines of the
'Park' on this side. We therefore reluctantly left the tracks, and
directed our course towards Pattapalaar, about twelve miles distant.
We had passed over a lovely country, and were within a mile of our
proposed resting-place, when Banda, who happened to be a hundred yards
in advance, came quickly back, saying that he saw a rogue elephant
feeding on the patina not far from us. Wortley had gone in another
direction with old Medima a few minutes previous to look for a deer; and
Palliser and I resolved to stalk him carefully. We therefore left all
the people behind, except two gun-bearers, each of whom carried one of
my double-barrelled rifles. I carried my four-ounce, and Palliser took
the two-ounce.
It was most difficult ground for stalking, being entirely open, on a
spot which had been high lemon grass but recently burnt, the long reeds
in many places still remaining.
We could not get nearer than fifty yards in such ground, and I
accordingly tried a shot at his temple with the four-ounce. The long
unburnt stalks of the lemon grass waving to and fro before the sights of
my rifle so bothered me that I missed the fatal spot, and fired about
two inches too high. Stumbling only for a moment from the blow, he
rushed down hill towards a jungle, but at the same instant Palliser made
a capital shot with the long two-ounce and knocked him over. I never saw
an elephant fall with such a crash: they generally sink gently down; but
this fellow was going at such speed down hill that he fairly pitched
upon his head.
We arrived at our resting-place, and having erected the tents, we gave
them up to Banda and the servants, while we took possession of a large
'amblam', or open building, massively built by the late Major Rodgers,
which is about twenty-five feet square. This we arranged in a most
comfortable manner, and here we determined to remain for some days,
while we beat the whole country thoroughly.
