We had walked quietly along for about half a mile, when we crossed an abrupt rocky promontory, which stretched from the jungle into the lake like a ruined pier.On the other side, the lake formed a small bay, shaded by the forest, which was separated from the water's edge by a gentle slope of turf about fifty yards in width.This bay was a sheltered spot, and as we crossed the rocky promontory, the noise that we made over the loose stones in turning the corner, disturbed a herd of six deer, five of whom dashed into the jungle; the sixth stopped for a moment at the edge of the forest to take a parting look at us.He was the buck of the herd, and carried a noble pair of antlers; he was about a hundred and twenty yards from us, and I took a quick shot at him with one of the No.10 rifles.The brushwood closed over him as he bounded into the jungle, but an ominous crack sounded back from the ball, which made me think he was hit.At this moment Palliser and V.Baker came running up, thinking that we had found the elephant.
The buck was standing upon some snow-white quartz rocks when I fired, and upon an examination of the spot frothy patches of blood showed that he was struck through the lungs.Men are bloodthirsty animals, for nothing can exceed the pleasure, after making a long shot, of finding the blood-track on the spot when the animal is gone.We soon tracked him up, and found him lying dead in the jungle within twenty yards of the spot.This buck was the first head of game we had bagged, with the exception of a young elk that I had shot on horseback during the ride from Dambool.We had plenty of snipe, and, what with fish, wildfowl, and venison, our breakfast began to assume an inviting character.After breakfast we shot a few couple of snipe upon the plain, and in the evening we formed two parties--Palliser and V.Baker, and Wortley and myself--and taking different directions, we scoured the country, agreeing to meet at the tent at dusk.
W.and I saw nothing beyond the fresh tracks of game which evidently came out only at night.We wandered about till evening, and then returned towards the tent.On the way I tried a long shot at a heron with a rifle; he was standing at about a hundred and fifty yards from us, and by great good luck I killed him.
On arrival at the tent we found P.and V.B., who had returned.They had been more fortunate in their line of country, having found two rogue elephants--one in thick jungle, which V.B.fired at and missed; and shortly after this shot they found another rogue on the plain not far from the tent.The sun was nearly setting, and shone well in the elephant's eyes; thus they were able to creep pretty close to him without being observed, and P.killed him by a good shot with a rifle, at about twenty-five yards.In my opinion this was the same elephant that had been seen near the tent early in the morning.
Wallace, with the Rhatamahatmeya and the trackers, had arrived, and we resolved to start for Cowdelle at daybreak on the following morning.
Nov.21.--Having made our preparations over night for an early start, we were off at daybreak, carrying with us the cook with his utensils, and the canteen containing everything that could be required for breakfast.We were thus prepared for a long day's work, should it be necessary.
After a ride of about eight miles along a sandy path, bordered by dense jungle, we arrived at the open but marshy ground upon which we had seen the tracks of the herd a few days previous.Fresh elephant tracks had accompanied us the whole way along our path, and a herd was evidently somewhere in the vicinity, as the path was obstructed in many places by the branches of trees upon which they had been feeding during the night.
The sandy ground was likewise printed with innumerable tracks of elk, deer, hogs and leopards.We halted under some wide-spreading trees, beneath which, a clear stream of water rippled over a bed of white pebbles, with banks of fine green sward.In this spot were unmistakable tracks of elephants, where they had been recently drinking.The country was park-like, but surrounded upon its borders with thick jungles;clumps of thorny bushes were scattered here and there, and an abundance of good grass land water ensured a large quantity of game.The elephants were evidently not far off, and of course were well secured in the thorny jungles Wortley had never yet seen a wild elephant, and a dense jungle is by no means a desirable place for an introduction to this kind of game.It is a rule of mine never to follow elephants in such ground, where they generally have it all their own way; but, as there are exceptions to all rules, we determined to find them, after having taken so much trouble in making our arrangements.
We unsaddled, and ordered breakfast to be ready for our return beneath one of the most shady trees; having loaded, we started off upon the tracks.As I had expected, they led to a thick thorny jungle, and slowly and cautiously we followed the leading tracker.The jungle became worse and worse as we advanced, and had it not been for the path which the elephants had formed, we could not have moved an inch.The leaves of the bushes were wet with dew, and we were obliged to cover up all the gun-locks to prevent any of them missing fire.We crept for about a quarter of a mile upon this track, when the sudden snapping of a branch a hundred paces in advance plainly showed that we were up with the game.
This is the exciting moment in elephant-shooting, and every breath is held for a second intimation of the exact position of the herd.A deep, guttural sound, like the rolling of very distant thunder, is heard, accompanied by the rustling and cracking of the branches as they rub their tough sides against the trees.Our advance had been so stealthy that they were perfectly undisturbed.Silently and carefully we crept up, and in a few minutes I distinguished two immense heads exactly facing us at about ten paces distant.Three more indistinct forms loomed in the thick bushes just behind the leaders.
