The natives said that this elephant was mad; if so it may account in
some measure for the unheard-of occurrence of an elephant devouring
flesh. Both elephants and buffaloes attack man from malice alone,
without the slightest idea of making a meal of him. This portion of the
headman's story I cannot possibly believe, although he swears to it. The
elephant may, perhaps, have cracked her head and torn his victim to
pieces in the manner described, but the actual 'eating' is incredible.
CHAPTER VI.
Character of the Veddahs--Description of the Veddahs--A Monampitya
Rogue--Attacking the Rogue--Breathless Excitement--Death of a Large
Rogue--Utility of the Four-ounce--A Curious Shot--Fury of a Bull
Buffalo--Character of the Wild Buffalo--Buffalo-shooting at Minneria
Lake--Charge in High Reeds--Close of a Good Day's Sport--Last Day at
Minneria--A Large Snake--An Unpleasant Bedfellow.
Doolana is upon the very verge of the most northern point of the Veddah
country, the whole of which wild district is the finest part of Ceylon
for sport. Even to this day few Europeans have hunted these secluded
wilds. The wandering Veddah, with his bow and arrows, is occasionally
seen roaming through his wilderness in search of deer, but the report of
a native's gun is never heard; the game is therefore comparatively
undisturbed. I have visited every portion of this fine sporting country,
and since I have acquired the thorough knowledge of its attractions, I
have made up my mind never to shoot anywhere but there. The country is
more open than in most parts of Ceylon, and the perfect wildness of the
whole district is an additional charm.
The dimensions of the Veddah country are about eighty miles from north
to south, by forty in width. A fine mountain, known as the 'Gunner's
Coin,' is an unmistakable landmark upon the northern boundary. From this
point a person may ride for forty miles without seeing a sign of a
habitation; the whole country is perfectly uncivilised, and its scanty
occupants, the 'Veddahs,' wander about like animals, without either
home, laws, or religion.
I have frequently read absurd descriptions of their manners and customs,
which must evidently have been gathered from hearsay, and not from a
knowledge of the people. It is a commonly believed report that the
Veddahs 'live in the trees,' and a stranger immediately confuses them
with rooks and monkeys. Whoever first saw Veddah huts in the trees would
have discovered, upon enquiry, that they were temporary watch-houses,
from which they guard a little plot of korrakan from the attacks of
elephants and other wild beasts. Far from LIVING in the trees, they live
nowhere; they wander over the face of their beautiful country, and
migrate to different parts at different seasons, with the game which
they are always pursuing. The seasons in Ceylon vary in an extraordinary
manner, considering the small size of the island.
