I then proposed that we should
choose our elephants, which were scattered in the high grass, and
advance separately to the attack. Palliser voted that we should creep up
to the elephants that were in the jungle close to us, instead of going
into the high grass.
I did not much like this plan, as I knew that it would be much darker in
the jungle than in the patina, and there was no light to spare. However,
Palliser crept into the jungle, towards the spot where we heard the
elephants crashing the bushes.
Instead of following behind him, I kept almost in a line, but a few feet
on one side, otherwise I knew that should he fire, I should see nothing
for the smoke of his shot. This precaution was not thrown away. The
elephants were about fifty yards from the entrance to the jungle, and we
were of course up to them in a few minutes. Palliser took a steady shot
at a fine elephant about eight yards from him, and fired.
The only effect produced was a furious charge right into us!
Away went all the gun-bearers except Wallace as hard as they could run,
completely panic-stricken. Palliser and Wortley jumped to one side to
get clear of the smoke, which hung like a cloud before them; and having
taken my position with the expectation of something of this kind, I had
a fine clear forehead shot as the elephant came rushing on; and I
dropped him dead.
The gun-bearers were in such a fright that they never stopped till they
got out on the patina.
The herd had of course gone off at the alarm of the firing, and we got a
glimpse of the old 'rogue' as he was taking to the jungle. Palliser
fired an ineffectual shot at him at a long range, and the day closed. It
was moonlight when we reached the 'amblam': the bag for that day being
five elephants, and two bucks.
Dec. 9.--We had alarmed this part of the country; and after spending a
whole morning in wandering over a large extent of ground without seeing
a fresh track of an elephant, we determined to move on to Nielgalla,
eight miles from the 'amblam.' We accordingly packed up, and started off
our coolies by the direct path, while we made a long circuit by another
route, in the hope of meeting with heavy game.
After riding about four miles, our path lay through a dense forest up
the steep side of a hill. Over this was a narrow road, most difficult
for a horse to ascend, on account of the large masses of rocks, which
choked the path from the base to the summit.
