`The Women Rushed To The Village With The News Of This Unnatural
Carnage.
`Doolana and the neighbourhood has always been famous for its
elephant-hunters, and the husband of this unfortunate girl was one of
the most active in their pursuit.
The animals are caught in this country
and sold to the Arabs, for the use of the Indian Government.
`The news of this bloody deed flew from village to village; war to the
knife was declared against the perpetrator, and preparations were
accordingly made.
`Since the murder of this girl he had taken up his abode in a small
isolated jungle adjoining, surrounded by a small open plain of fine soft
grass, upon a level sandy soil.
`A few days after this act, a hundred men assembled at Doolana,
determined upon his destruction. They were all picked
elephant-hunters--Moormen; active and sinewy fellows, accustomed to
danger from their childhood. Some were armed with axes, sharpened to the
keenest edge, some with long spears, and others with regular elephant
ropes, formed of the thongs of raw deer's hide, beautifully twisted.
Each division of men had a separate duty allotted.
`They marched towards the small jungle in which the rogue was known to
be; but he anticipated their wishes, and before they were within a
hundred paces of his lair, he charged furiously out. The conflict began
in good earnest. The spearmen were in advance, and the axemen were
divided into two parties, one on either flank, with an equal number of
ropemen. The instant that he charged the whole body of men ran forward
at full speed to meet him; still he continued his furious onset,
undismayed by the yells of a hundred men. The spearmen halted when
within twenty yards, then turned and fled; this had been agreed upon
beforehand. The elephant passed the two flanks of axemen in pursuit of
the flying enemy; the axemen immediately closed in behind him, led by
the husband of the murdered girl. By a well-directed blow upon the hind
leg, full of revenge, this active fellow divided the sinew in the first
joint above the foot.* (*Since this was written I have seen the African
elephant disabled by one blow of a sharp sword as described in the "Nile
Tributaries of Abyssinia.") That instant the elephant fell upon his
knees, but recovered himself directly, and endeavoured to turn upon his
pursuers; a dozen axes flashed in the sunbeams, as the strokes were
aimed at the other hind leg. It was the work of an instant: the massive
limb bent powerless under him, and he fell in a sitting posture, utterly
helpless, but roaring with mad and impotent fury. The ropemen now threw
nooses over his trunk and head; his struggles, although tremendous, were
in vain; fifty men, hanging their weight upon several ropes attached to
his trunk, rendered that dreaded weapon powerless. The sharp lances were
repeatedly driven into his side, and several of the boldest hunters
climbing up the steep ascent of his back, an axe was seen to fall
swiftly and repeatedly upon his spine, on the nape of his tough neck.
The giant form suddenly sank; the spine was divided, and the avenging
blow was dealt by the husband of his late victim.
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