ifty yards in such ground, and I
accordingly tried a shot at his temple with the four-ounce. The long
unburnt stalks of the lemon grass waving to and fro before the sights
of my rifle so bothered me that I missed the fatal spot, and fired
about two inches too high. Stumbling only for a moment from the blow, he
rushed down hill towards a jungle, but at the same instant Palliser made
a capital shot with the long two-ounce and knocked him over. I never saw
an elephant fall with such a crash: they generally sink gently down;
but this fellow was going at such speed down hill that he fairly pitched
upon his head.

We arrived at our resting-place, and having erected the tents, we gave
them up to Banda and the servants, while we took possession of a large
'amblam', or open building, massively built by the late Major Rodgers,
which is about twenty-five feet square. This we arranged in a most
comfortable manner, and here we determined to remain for some days,
while we beat the whole country thoroughly.

Dec. 6.-We started at our usual early hour with Banda and the trackers,
and after a walk of about a mile, we found fresh tracks and followed up.
Crossing a small river upon the track, we entered a fine open forest,
through which the herd had only just passed, and upon following them for
about a quarter of a mile, we came to a barrier of dense chenar jungle,
into which the elephants had retreated.

There was a rogue with this herd, and we were rather doubtful of his
position. We stood in the open forest, within a few feet of the thick
jungle, to the edge of which the elephants were so close that we could
hear their deep breathing; and by stooping down we could distinguish
the tips of their trunks and feet, although the animals themselves were
invisible. We waited about half an hour in the hope that some of the
elephants might again enter the open forest; at length two, neither
of whom were above five feet high, came out and faced us. My dress
of elastic green tights had become so browned by constant washing and
exposure, that I matched exactly with the stem of a tree against which I
was leaning, and one of the elephants kept advancing towards me until I
could nearly touch him with my rifle; still he did not see me, and I did
not wish to fire, as I should alarm the herd, which would then be lost
for ever. Unfortunately, just at this moment, the other elephant saw
Palliser, and the alarm was given. There was no help for it, and we