He had attacked a
'rogue,' and, being immediately charged, he failed to stop him, although
he gave him both barrels. Being forced to run, he went off at full
speed, and turning quickly round a tree, he hoped the elephant would
pass him. Unfortunately, he did not look behind him before he turned,
and the elephant passed round the opposite side of the tree, and, of
course, met him face to face. He was instantly trampled to death.
Mr. Wallet was also killed by a rogue elephant; this animal was shot a
few days afterwards, in a spirited contest, by Captain Galway and Ensign
Scroggs, both of whom were very nearly caught in the encounter. A
gentleman of the name of Keane was added to the list of victims a few
years ago. He had fired without effect, and was almost immediately over-
taken by the elephant and crushed to death. The most extraordinary tale
that I have ever heard of rogue elephants in Ceylon was told me by the
Rhatamahatmeya of Doolana, who was present at the scene when a lad. I do
not profess to credit it entirely; but I will give it in his own words,
and, to avoid the onus of an improbable story, I will entitle it the
'Rhatamahatmeya's Tale.' In justice to him, I must acknowledge that his
account was corroborated by all the old men of the village.
THE RHATAMAHATMEYA'S TALE.
'There was a notorious rogue elephant at Doolana about thirty years ago,
whose ferocity was so extreme that he took complete possession of a
certain part of the country adjoining the lake. He had killed eight or
nine persons, and his whole object in existence appeared to be the
waylaying and destruction of the natives. He was of enormous size, and
was well known by a peculiar flesh-coloured forehead.
`In those days there were no fire-arms in this part of the country;
therefore there was no protection for either life or property from this
monster, who would invade the paddy-fields at night, and actually pull
down the watch-houses, regardless of the blazing fires which are lighted
on the hearth of sand on the summit; these he used to scatter about and
extinguish. He had killed several natives in this manner, involving them
in the common ruin with their watch-houses. The terror created by this
elephant was so extreme that the natives deserted the neighbourhood that
he infested.
`At length many months passed away without his being either seen or
heard of; the people began to hope that he had died from the effect of
poisoned arrows, which had frequently been shot at him from the
watch-houses in high trees; and, by degrees, the terror of his name had
lost its power, and he ceased to be thought of.
`It was in the cool of the evening, about an hour before sunset, that
about twenty of the women from the village were upon the grassy borders
of the lake, engaged in sorting and tying into bundles the rushes which
they had been gathering during the day for making mats. They were on the
point of starting homeward with their loads, when the sudden trumpet of
an elephant was heard, and to their horror they saw the well-known
rogue, with the unmistakable mark upon his forehead, coming down in full
charge upon them. The ground was perfectly open; there were no trees for
some hundred yards, except the jungle from which he was advancing at a
frightful speed. An indiscriminate flight of course took place, and a
race of terror commenced. In a few seconds the monster was among them,
and, seizing a young girl in his trunk, he held her high in the air, and
halted, as though uncertain how to dispose of his helpless victim. The
girl, meanwhile, was vainly shrieking for assistance, and the petrified
troop of women, having gained the shelter of some jungle, gazed
panic-stricken upon the impending fate of their companion.
`To their horror the elephant slowly lowered her in his trunk till near
the ground, when he gradually again raised her, and, bringing her head
into his mouth, a report was heard like the crack of a whip--it was the
sudden crushing of her skull. Tearing the head off by the neck, he
devoured it; and, placing his forefoot upon the body, he tore the arms
and legs from their sockets with his trunk, and devoured every portion
of her.
`The women rushed to the village with the news of this unnatural
carnage.
`Doolana and the neighbourhood has always been famous for its
elephant-hunters, and the husband of this unfortunate girl was one of
the most active in their pursuit. The animals are caught in this country
and sold to the Arabs, for the use of the Indian Government.
`The news of this bloody deed flew from village to village; war to the
knife was declared against the perpetrator, and preparations were
accordingly made.
`Since the murder of this girl he had taken up his abode in a small
isolated jungle adjoining, surrounded by a small open plain of fine soft
grass, upon a level sandy soil.
`A few days after this act, a hundred men assembled at Doolana,
determined upon his destruction. They were all picked
elephant-hunters--Moormen; active and sinewy fellows, accustomed to
danger from their childhood. Some were armed with axes, sharpened to the
keenest edge, some with long spears, and others with regular elephant
ropes, formed of the thongs of raw deer's hide, beautifully twisted.
Each division of men had a separate duty allotted.
`They marched towards the small jungle in which the rogue was known to
be; but he anticipated their wishes, and before they were within a
hundred paces of his lair, he charged furiously out.
