much reduced. There are now very few herds of
elephants in Ceylon that have not been shot at by either Europeans or
natives, and it is a common occurrence to kill elephants with numerous
marks of old bullet wounds. Thus the animals are constantly on the
"qui vive," and at the report of a gun every herd within hearing starts
off for the densest jungles.

A native can now obtain a gun for thirty shillings; and with two
shillings' worth of ammunition, he starts on a hunting trip. Five
elephants, at a reward of seven shillings per tail, more than pay the
prime cost of his gun, to say nothing of the deer and other game that
he has bagged in the interim.

Some, although very few, of the natives are good sportsmen in a potting
way. They get close to their game, and usually bag it. This is a
terrible system for destroying, and the more so as it is increasing.
There is no rest for the animals; in the day-time they are tracked up,
and on moonlight nights the drinking-places are watched, and an
unremitting warfare is carried on. This is sweeping both deer and
buffalo from the country, and must eventually almost annihilate them.

The Moormen are the best hunters, and they combine sport with trade in
such a manner that "all is fish that comes to their net." Five or six
good hunters start with twenty or thirty bullocks and packs. Some of
these are loaded with common cloths, etc., to exchange with the village
people for dried venison; but the intention in taking so many bullocks
is to bring borne the spoils of their hunting trip--in fact, to "carry
the bag." They take about a dozen leaves of the talipot palm to form a
tent, and at night-time, the packs, being taken off the bullocks, are
piled like a pillar in the centre, and the talipot leaves are formed in
a circular roof above them. The bullocks are then secured round the
tent to long poles, which are thrown upon the ground and pinned down by
crooked pegs.

These people have an intimate knowledge of the country, and are
thoroughly acquainted with the habits of the animals and the most
likely spots for game. Buffaloes, pigs and deer are indiscriminately
shot, and the flesh being cut in strips from the bones is smoked over a
green-wood fire, then thoroughly dried in the sun and packed up for
sale. The deer skins are also carefully dried and rolled up, and the
buffaloes' and deer horns are slung to the packs.

Many castes of natives will not eat buffalo meat, others will