There Were Two
Elephants Close To The Water's Edge Between Him And Us, And We
Determined To Have A Shot At Them En Passant, And Then Try To Bag The
Big Fellow.
Although we stalked very cautiously along the edge of the jungle which
surrounded the lake, divided from it by a strip of plain of about 200
yards in width, the elephants winded us, and retreated over the patina*
(*Grassy plains) at full speed towards the jungle.
Endeavouring to cut
them off before they could reach the thick cover, we ran at our best
pace along the edge of the jungle, so as to meet them at right angles.
One reached the jungle before us, but a lucky shot at a distance of
sixty paces floored the other, who lay struggling on the ground, and was
soon extinguished. Having reloaded, we went in quest of the large rogue,
who was bathing in the tank. This gentleman had decamped, having taken
offence at the firing.
Close to the edge of the lake grew a patch of thick thorny jungle of
about two acres, completely isolated, and separated from the main jungle
by about eighty paces' length of fine turf. The Moormen knew the habits
of this rogue, who was well known in the neighbourhood, and they at once
said, "that he had concealed himself in the small patch of jungle." Upon
examining the tracks from the tank, we found they were correct.
The question was, how to dislodge him; the jungle was so dense that it
was impossible to enter, and driving was the only chance.
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