There was no time to be lost, and we determined to push on as fast as the coolies could follow, as they had only two days' provisions; we had precisely the same, and those could not be days of feasting.We were, in fact, like sailors going to sea with a ship only half-victualled; and, as we followed our little guide, and lost sight of the village behind us, I foresaw that our stomachs would suffer unless game was plentiful on the path.
We passed through beautiful open country for about eight miles, during which we saw several herds of deer; but we could not get a shot.At length we pitched the tent, at four o'clock P.M., at the foot of 'Gunner's Coin,' a solitary rocky mountain of about two thousand feet in height, which rises precipitously from the level country.We then divided into two parties--W.and P., and V.B.and I.We strolled off with our guns in different directions.
The country was perfectly level, being a succession of glades of fine low grass divided into a thousand natural paddocks by belts of jungle.
We were afraid to stroll more than a mile from the tent, lest we should lose our way; and we took a good survey of the most prominent points of the mountain, that we might know our direction by their position.
After an hour's walk, and just as the sun was setting, a sudden crash in a jungle a few yards from us brought the rifles upon full cock.The next moment out came an elephant's head, and I knocked him over by a front shot.He had held his head in such a peculiar position that a ball could not reach the brain, and he immediately re covered himself, and, wheeling suddenly round, he retreated into the jungle, through which we could not follow.
We continued to stroll on from glade to glade, expecting to find him;and, in about a quarter of an hour, we heard the trumpet of an elephant.
Fully convinced that this was the wounded animal, we pushed on towards the spot; but, on turning a corner of the jungle, we came suddenly upon a herd of seven of the largest elephants that I ever saw together; they must have been all bulls.Unfortunately, they had our wind, and, being close to the edge of a thick thorny jungle, they disappeared like magic.
We gave chase for a short distance, but were soon stopped by the thorns.
We had no chance with them.
It was now dusk, and we therefore hastened towards the tent, seeing three herds of deer and one of hogs on our way; but it was too dark to get a shot.The deer were barking in every direction, and the country was evidently alive with game.
On arrival at the tent, we found that W.and P.had met with no better luck than ourselves.Two of.our tins of provisions were consumed at dinner, leaving us only two remaining.Not a moment was to be lost in pushing forward; and we determined upon a long march on the following day.
Nov.25.--Sunrise saw us in the saddles.The coolies, with the tents and baggage, kept close up with the horses, being afraid to lag behind, as there was not a semblance of a path, and we depended entirely upon our small guide, who appeared to have an intimate knowledge of the whole country.The little Veddah trotted along through the winding glades; and we travelled for about five miles without a word being spoken by one of the party, as we were in hopes of coming upon deer.Unfortunately, we were travelling down wind; we accordingly did not see a single head of game, as they of course winded us long before we came in view.
We had ridden about eight miles, when we suddenly came upon the fresh tracks of elephants, and, immediately dismounting, we began to track up.
The ground being very dry, and the grass short and parched, the tracks were very indistinct, and it was tedious work.We had followed for about half a mile through alternate glades and belts of jungle, when we suddenly spied a Veddah hiding behind a tree about sixty yards from us.
The moment that he saw he was discovered, he set off at full speed, but two of our coolies, who acted as gunbearers, started after him.These fellows were splendid runners, and, after a fine course, they ran him down; but when caught, instead of expressing any fear, he seemed to think it a good joke.He was a rather short but stout-built fellow, and he was immediately recognised by our little guide, as one of the best hunters among the Northern Veddahs.He soon understood our object; and, putting down his bow and arrows and a little pipkin of sour curd (his sole provision on his hunting trip), he started at once upon the track.
Without any exception he was the best tracker I have ever seen: although the ground was as hard as a stone, and the footprints constantly invisible, he went like a hound upon a scent, at a pace that kept us in an occasional jog-trot.After half an hour's tracking, and doubling backward and forward in thick jungle, we came up with three elephants.
V.B.killed one, and I killed another at the same moment.V.B.also fired at the third; but, instead of falling, he rushed towards us, and Ikilled him with my remaining barrel, Palliser joining in the shot.They were all killed in about three seconds.The remaining portion of the herd were at a distance, and we heard them crashing through the thick jungle.We followed them for about a mile, but they had evidently gone off to some other country.The jungle was very thick, and we had a long journey to accomplish; we therefore returned to the horses and rode on, our party being now increased by the Veddah tracker.
After having ridden about twenty miles, the last tight of which had been through alternate forest and jungle, we arrived at a small plain of rich grass of about a hundred acres: this was surrounded by forest.
Unfortunately, the nights were not moonlight, or we could have killed a deer, as they came out in immense herds just at dusk.We luckily bagged a good supply of snipe, upon which we dined, and we reserved our tins.
of meat for some more urgent occasion.
