If I Had Not
Fortunately Killed This Elephant At The First Shot, I Should Have Had
Enough To Do To Take Care Of Myself, As He Was One Of The Most
Vicious-Looking Brutes That I Ever Saw, And He Was In The Very Act Of
Charging When I Shot Him.
With these elephants the four-ounce rifle is an invaluable weapon; even
if the animal is not struck in the mortal spot, the force of the blow
upon the head is so great that it will generally bring him upon his
knees, or at least stop him.
It has failed once or twice in this, but
not often; and upon those occasions I had loaded with the conical ball.
This, although it will penetrate much farther through a thick substance
than a round ball, is not so effective in elephant-shooting as the
latter. The reason is plain enough. No shot in the head will kill an
elephant dead unless it passes through the brain; an ounce ball will
effect this as well as a six-pound shot; but there are many cases where
the brain cannot be touched, by a peculiar method of carrying the head
and trunk in charging, etc.; a power is then required that by the
concussion will knock him down, or turn him; this power is greater in
the round ball than in the conical, as a larger surface is suddenly
struck. The effect is similar to a man being run through the arm with a
rapier or thrust at with a poker--the rapier will pass through him
almost without his knowledge, but the poker will knock him down. Thus
the pointed conical ball will, perhaps, pass through an elephant's
forehead and penetrate as far as his shoulders, but it will produce no
immediate effect. For buffalo-shooting the conical ball is preferable,
as with the heavy charge of powder that I use it will pass completely
through him from end to end. A four-ounce ball, raking an animal from
stem to stern, must settle him at once. This is a desirable thing to
accomplish with wild buffaloes, as they may, frequently prove awkward
customers, even after receiving several mortal wounds from light guns.
The four-ounce conical ball should be an excellent weapon for African
shooting, where the usual shot at an elephant is at the shoulder. This
shot would never answer in Ceylon; the country is not sufficiently open
to watch the effects produced upon the animal, and although he may have
a mortal wound, he carries it away with him and is not bagged. I have
frequently tried this shot; and, although I have seen the elephants go
away with ears and trunk drooping, still I have never bagged more than
one by any but the head shot. This fellow was a small `tusker,' who
formed one of a herd in thick thorny jungle. There were several rocks in
this low jungle which overtopped the highest bushes; and having taken my
station upon one of these, I got a downward shot between the shoulders
at the tusker, and dropped him immediately as the herd passed beneath.
The jungle was so thick that I could not see his head, or, of course, I
should have chosen the usual shot. This shot was not a fair criterion
for the shoulder, as I happened to be in a position that enabled me to
fire down upon him, and the ball most likely passed completely through
him.
I remember a curious and unexpected shot that I once made with the
four-ounce rifle, which illustrates its immense power. I was shooting at
Minneria, and was returning to the tent in the afternoon, having had a
great day's sport with buffaloes, when I saw a large herd in the
distance, ranged up together, and gazing intently at some object near
them. Being on horseback I rode up to them, carrying my heavy rifle;
and, upon a near approach I discovered two large bulls fighting
furiously. This combat was exciting the attention of the herd, who
retreated upon my approach. The two bulls were so engaged in their duel
that they did not notice me until I was within fifty yards of them.
First one, then the other, was borne to the ground, when presently their
horns became locked together, as though arm in arm. The more they tugged
to separate themselves, the tighter they held together, and at length
they ranged side by side, Taking a shot at the shoulder of the nearest
bull, they both fell suddenly to the ground. The fall unlocked their
horns, and one bull recovering his legs, retreated at a slow pace and
dead lame. The nearest bull was killed, and mounting my horse I galloped
after the wounded buffalo. The chase did not last long. Upon arriving
within fifty yards of his flank, I noticed the blood streaming from his
mouth, and he presently rolled over and died. The ball, having passed
through his antagonist, had entered his shoulder, and, smashing the
shoulder-blade, had passed through the body, lodging in the tough hide
upon his opposite side, from which I extracted it by simply cutting the
skin which covered it.
I have frequently seen the bull buffaloes fight each other with great
fury. Upon these occasions they are generally the most dangerous, all
their natural ferocity being increased by the heat of the combat. I was
once in pursuit of an elephant which led me across the plain at
Minneria, when I suddenly observed a large bull buffalo making towards
me, as though to cut me off in the very direction in which I was
advancing. Upon his near approach I noticed numerous bloody cuts and
scratches upon his neck and shoulders, which were evidently only just
made by the horns of some bull with whom he had been fighting. Not
wishing to fire, lest I should alarm the elephant, I endeavoured to
avoid him, but this was no easy task.
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