The opposite
shore was a fine plain, bordered by open forest, and the lake spread
into the grassy surface in wide and irregular bays.
I continued my course along the causeway at a fast walk, and on arriving
at the extremity of the lake, I noticed that the ancient dam continued
for a much greater distance. This, together with the great height of the
masonry from the level of the water, proved that the dimensions of the
tank had formerly been of much greater extent.
Descending by the rugged stones which formed the dam wall I reached the
plain, and, keeping close to the water's edge, I rounded a large neck of
land covered with trees, which projected for some distance into the
lake. I knew, by the position of the elephant, when I first saw him,
that he was not far beyond this promontory, and I carefully advanced
through the open forest, hoping that I might meet him there on his exit
from his bath. In this I was mistaken, for on passing through this
little belt of trees I saw the elephant still in the lake, belly-deep,
about 300 paces from me. He was full 120 yards from the shore, and I was
puzzled how to act. He was an immense brute, being a fine specimen of a
tank 'rogue.' This class are generally the worst description of rogue
elephants, who seldom move far from the lakes, but infest the shores for
many years. Being quite alone, with the exception of two worthless
gun-bearers, the plan of attack required some consideration.
The belt of trees in which I stood was the nearest piece of cover to the
elephant, the main jungle being about a quarter of a mile from the shore
of the lake. In the event of a retreat being necessary, this cover would
therefore be my point. There was a large tamarind-tree growing alone
upon the plain about a hundred and fifty paces from the water's edge,
exactly in a line with the position of the elephant. The mud plastered
to a great height upon the stem showed this to be his favourite
rubbing-post after bathing.
Having determined upon my plan of attack, I took the guns from the
gun-bearers and sent the men up the tree, as I knew they would run away
in the event of danger, and would most probably take the guns with them
in their flight. Having thus secured the arms, I placed the long
two-ounce against a large and conspicuous tree that grew upon the
extreme edge of the forest, and I cautiously advanced over the open
plain with my two remaining guns, one of which I deposited against the
stem of the single tamarind-tree.
