The Nevada journal., 1854-09-08
Pleasures of Elephant Hunting.

| Ae~SaA ~ VI HAOpiaAHt AsuUtkuSs
In the newly published London work enti
tied the Rife and Hound in Ceylon,'' we
find the following exciting and interesting
description of elephant hunting, derived
from the personal experience of the author
Mr. S w. Baker -
At one time as Mr.. Baker was wander
ing with his brother among the mighty ru-
ms OF by gone palaces which are >trews
over the island OF Ceylon. he found himself
IN the immediate vicinity of two elephants
upon whose destruction he unheSilatingl,
determined. The elephants retreared to q
jungle. and while he was deiberatino up.
on a proper mode of procedure, he sudden.
ly beard deep cultural sound in the thick
rattan, and the same instant the whole tan.
elrd mass burst asundef within four feet OF
where he was standing, and he saw the
furious head OF an elephant in full charge
upon him.
n had barely time 10 cock my rife. and
the barrel almost touched him as | fired.
| knew it was IN vain, as his trunk was
raised. 3. fred his right hand barrel at
the same mom,nt without effect. and fro. :,
the same cause. jumped on one side,
and attempted to spring through the deep
mad it WIS Of no use the long grass
entapg'ed NY feet. and in another moment
| lay sPraWiInG IN the enraged elephants
path, within foot of him. In that mo-
ment OF suspense expected to hear the
crack OF my own bones, as his massive foot
would be upon me. 1t was an atom of
time. heard the crack of gun it was
B,'s last barrel. ] felt a sponcy weight
strike my heel. and turning quickly heels
over head | rolled few PAGES and regain.
ed my feet. The last shot had hoored him
just as he was upon me; the end of his
trunk had fallen upon my heel. Still! be
was not dead, but ht struck al me with hi>
trunk As passed round his head to give
him fini,her with the four-ounce rife
which | had snatchtd from our solitary
gnn-hearer
But ofall the adventures related by MIR.
Baker, the following is OF the most thrill,
ng interest He had discovered in large
plain, which was co"ered with huge lemon
graSs 10 height of ten or twelve feet.
nerd Of ten elephants, and in company with
his brother had shot five Of them. We
give the story in his own language -
! had one barrel still loaded and | was
pushing my way through the tangled grass
towards The spot where the five elephants
'ay together, when / suddenly heard Wal
lace shrink out, Look out sir look out !
an elephants coming J
4 turned round in q moment; and close
past Wallare, from the very spot where the
last dead elephant lay, came the very es.
sence and incarnation of rogue elephant
IN full charge. His trunk was thrown high
in the air, lis ears were cooked. his tail
stood high above his back as stiff as a po-
ker, screaming exactly like the whistle OF
railway engine. he rushed upon me thro'
the high grass with velocity that was per-
fectly wonderful. His eyes flashed as he
came on, and he had singled ne out as his
victim.
\ have often been in dangerous positions
before, but ne"er felt so utterly devold Of
hope Is | dil n this instance. The an.
oIed grass rendered retreat impossible /
had one barrel oaded, and that was use.
less. is the rplfted trunk protected his
forehead. | lelt myself doomed: the
few thoughts that rush through mems
minds in such hopeless positions few thro'
nina, and ! resolved 20 wait for him until
he was close upon ne before | fired, hop
ing that he might lower lis trnnk and ex.
pose his forehead.
"iIe rushed at the pace Of horse at
full >pred in few moments, a the long
grass few TO the right and left before him,
lie was close upon me. but still his trunk
; was raised and | would not FIRE One Sec
ond more, and at this headlong pace he
WAS within three feet Of me down lash.
ed his trunk with the rapidity of whip
thong, and with shriIi scream Of fury he
was upon me-.
i fired at that instant, bnt in the twink
ling OF an eye | was flying through the air
fike a bat. At the moment of firing had
jumped 10 the left, but he struck he with
his tnsk in full charge upon my right thigh,
and hurled me eight or ten PAGES from him
That very moment he stopped. and turn
ing round, be beat the grass about with his
trunk, and commenced strict search for
me. ! heard him advancing close 70 the
SPOT where lay; closer and closer he sp-
preached, and he at length beat the grass
with his trunk several times exactly above
me. | held my breath momentarily ex-
pectng 10 feel his ponderou, foot upon me;
although had not felt the sensation Of fear
while lie was deliberately hunting me up.
Fortunately, had reserved my FIRE until
the lie had almost touched him, and des.
polled his acute power OF scent. To my
JOY | heard the rushing of tie grass grow
fainter; again | heard i. at still! greater
distance ; AT last it was gone
bh0 is She ?-About tnree months since
says the Oregonian, lady arrived in Port
land off the steamer. since which time she
has not left her room bnt once. and ther
TO cross it TO new quarters. She has not