The poverty of
the soil yields only one crop, and the lately cleared field is again
restored to nature. Dense thorny jungle immediately springs up, which a
man cannot penetrate without being torn to pieces by the briars. This is
called chena jungle, and is always the favourite resort of elephants and
all wild animals, the impervious character of the bush forming a secure
retreat.
From these haunts the elephants commit nocturnal descents upon the crops
of the natives. The korrakan is a sweet grass, growing about two feet
high, and so partial are the elephants to this food that they will
invade the isolated field even during the daytime. Driven out by shouts
and by shots fired by the natives from their secure watch-houses, they
will retreat to their cover, but in a few minutes they reappear from
another part of the jungle and again commence their depredations.
The havoc committed by a large herd of elephants can well be imagined.
In this instance there were only three elephants--a large bull, with a
mother and her young one, or what we call a 'poonchy.' On entering the
korrakan field we distinctly heard them breaking the boughs at no great
distance. We waited for some time to see if they would return to the
field; but they apparently were aware of some impending danger, as they
did not move from their strong position. This was a cunning family of
elephants, as they had retreated 'down wind,' and the jungle being so
thick that we could with difficulty follow even upon their track, made
it very doubtful whether we should kill them.
We cautiously entered. It was one mass of thorns, and we were shortly
compelled to crawl upon our hands and knees. This was arduous work, as
we had great difficulty in carrying the guns so as to avoid the
slightest noise. I was leading the way, and could distinctly hear the
rustling of the leaves as the elephants moved their ears. We were now
within a few feet of them, but not an inch of their bodies could be
seen, so effectually were they hidden by the thick jungle. Suddenly we
heard the prolonged wh-r-r, wh-r-r-r-r-r, as one of the elephants winded
us: the shrill trumpet sounded in another direction, and the crash
through the jungle took place which nothing but an elephant can produce.
In such dense jungle, where the elephants are invisible, this crash is
most exciting if close at hand, as in the present instance.
It is at the first burst impossible to tell whether the elephant is
coming at you or rushing away. In either case it is extremely dangerous,
as these chena jungles are almost devoid of trees; thus there is no
cover of sufficient strength to protect a man should he attempt to jump
on one side, and he may even be run over by accident.
