There are many first-rate sportsmen in Ceylon who could furnish
anecdotes of individual risks and hairbreadth escapes (the certain
accompaniments to elephant-shooting) that would fill volumes; but enough
will be found, in the few scenes which I have selected from whole
hecatombs of slaughter, to satisfy and perhaps fatigue the most patient
reader.
One fact I wish to impress upon all--that the colouring of every
description is diminished and not exaggerated, the real scene being in
all cases a picture, of which the narration is but a feeble copy.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER 1.
Wild Country--Dealings in the Marvellous--Enchanting Moments--The
Wild Elephant of Ceylon--'Rogues'--Elephant Slaughter--Thick Jungles
--Character of the Country--Varieties of Game in Ceylon--'Battery for
Ceylon Sport'--The Elk or 'Samber Deer'--Deer-coursing
CHAPTER II.
Newera Ellia--The Turn-out for Elk-hunting--Elk-hunting--
Elk turned to Bay--The Boar
CHAPTER III.
Minneria Lake--Brush with a Bull--An Awkward Vis-a-vis
--A Bright Thought--Bull Buffalo Receives his Small Change
--What is Man?--Long Shot with the Four-ounce--Charged by
a Herd of Buffaloes--The Four-ounce does Service--The
'Lola'--A Woman killed by a Crocodile--Crocodile at Bolgodde
Lake--A Monster Crocodile--Death of a Crocodile
CHAPTER IV.
Equipment for a Hunting Trip--In Chase of a Herd of Elephants--Hard
Work--Close Quarters--Six Feet from the Muzzle--A Black with a Devil
CHAPTER V.
The Four-ounce again--Tidings of a Rogue--Approaching a Tank Rogue
--An Exciting Moment--Ruins of Pollanarua--Ancient Ruins--Rogues at
Doolana--B. Charged by a Rogue--Planning an Attack--A Check--Narrow
Escape--Rogue-stalking--A Bad Rogue--Dangers of Elephant-shooting
--The Phatamahatmeya's Tale
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
CHAPTER VII.
Capabilities of Ceylon--Deer at Illepecadewe--Sagacity of a Pariah
Dog--Two Deer at One Shot--Deer-stalking--Hambantotte Country
--Kattregam Festival--Sitrawelle--Ruins of Ancient Mahagam
--Wiharewel1e--A Night Attack upon Elephants--Shooting by Moonlight
--Yalle River--Another Rogue--A Stroll before Breakfast--A Curious
Shot--A Good Day's Sport
CHAPTER VIII.
Best Hounds for Elk-hunting--Smut--Killbuck--The Horton Plains--A
Second Soyer--The Find--The Buck at Bay--The Bay--The Death--Return
of Lost Dogs--Comparative Speed of Deer--Veddah Ripped by a Boar--A
Melee--Buck at Black Pool--Old Smut's Ruse--Margosse Oil
CHAPTER IX.
