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to the Resident, to state that they had said and done all in their power to deter me from my

purpose, which I promised. I had in my

establishment some old and well-tried Shikarees, (beaters), who had witnessed some startling occurrences during our intercourse with the animal kingdom. One of them, dubbed Jack, was a low caste fellow, but when under the influence of arrack, he was very courageous and a firm believer in the transmigration of souls. I sent for Jack, who appeared as usual well impregnated, though his nervous system was somewhat influenced by the sudden epidemic of alarm, which had already attacked the natives of a higher caste. Jack could sport a little English, and after being duly informed as to what would be required of him, he said, “By gar captine dis dam job; dis elerfant de divil; kill captin sure enuf." Upon my asking him if he was prepared to stand by me, he vowed he would, simply remarking that by that time to-morrow, he should be a grazing bullock, and hoped he should have a good master.

THE WILD ELEPHANT.

97

At daylight the next morning, I was up, and found some two hundred Taroos had come in during the night. These men live entirely in the jungles, and speak a most unintelligible patois. Their appearance is of the wildest description, with hardly a vestige of clothing upon their bodies, and their long black hair plaited down to their waist, but when in pursuit of their avocations, they roll it round their heads like a turban, and with a black blanket, and their bodies well greased, their toilet is made. Accustomed to almost daily encounters with wild elephants, the Taroos have little fear, but they all expressed the utmost dread of this Shikar Bassa elephant, declaring their conviction of its being neither possible to take nor destroy him. After a long consultation it was decided that the operations should be commenced by the two famous tame male elephants employed in the taking expeditions. They were the finest animals of the kind I have ever seen, both being ten feet and a half at the shoulder, and in the highest condition. Their respective

VOL. I.

F

names were Arang Bahadoor, and Motee Persaud, the latter with only one tusk, but in other respects a most powerful elephant, and noted for his courage.

These elephants were so highly prized, that I pledged my word to the chiefs, that if either of them should get worsted in the attack, I would go to their rescue, and attack the wild elephant myself; this quieted their fears, at least as far as the animals were concerned.

At eight o'clock in the morning of the 7th of March 1844, we started from the tents, and at the expiration of an hour, we arrived at the place where this monster was to be found. Never shall I forget the scene! Upon our coming within a few yards of his position, Motee Persaud was leading, when out rushed the wild elephant with a terrific whistle, and immediately commenced a furious attack upon Motee. The meeting of these two mountains of flesh was really grand. Motee stood the shock well, but in ten minutes, it was quite evident the wild one was master; they crossed

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their tusks, and pushed at each other like infuriated rams. Upon Motee giving way a general shout was raised by some three hundred voices. I immediately got off my elephant, followed by my five gun carriers, and fired a three ounce ball into the wild one's flank; he gave a hideous roar, eased his purchase on Motee Persaud, and retired to his quarters. A general scamper now took place. Away went the chiefs and Taroos (the former had never dismounted) with Motee Persaud at their heels, and after going about two miles at a rattling pace, Motee was secured with some difficulty and fastened to a tree.

I now determined upon attacking the brute on foot, Jack and my other attendants standing by me, though much disappointed that I had not joined in the general flight. The enemy soon showed symptoms of the humour he was in by tearing down branches of the trees, and dashing them in all directions; many of them were thicker than my body. Shortly afterwards about twenty tame buffaloes which

were grazing in the neighbourhood, and probably disturbed by the Taroos' elephants, came galloping across the plain near the monster's position. I saw him issuing from the forest, and in an instant he trampled one of the buffaloes to death, crushing every bone in his body; he then lifted another off the ground with the greatest ease, driving his tusks through and through him, and throwing the carcase to some distance, quite dead. He once more retreated to his cover, and in a few minutes I advanced to the attack when within a hundred yards of him, out he came with that peculiarly shrill whistle, which must be heard from a wild elephant to be appreciated. He made his appearance with an enormous branch of a tree in his trunk, holding it well up over his head. His rush was splendid, and stopping at about sixty yards from me, he hesitated what to do; whisking the branch about, and kicking up the ground with his fore and hind feet with astonishing force, I certainly did not like his appearance, but it was now too late, so hostilities com

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