Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-17
Elephant Shooting in India-An Inter-
esting Description of the Sport.

There stood the two full-sized tuskers
within easy shooting distance. One had
enormously large tusks. and stood facing
me with his head we'll up so that to reach
his brain my bullet would need to have
penetrated quite two feet Of trunk. The
other, with much smaller tusks, stood
br0adside on, his head screened bv the
bambo0s. Resting one knee, and with the
muZZle Of the express against the tree, |
waited, hoping the monster would lower
his head, but when he shifted his position
it was merely to lift his head and trunk
still higher in search of SucCulent bam-
boOs. Several minutes passed in this way,
during which my nerves recovered them
selves. just then the smaller tusker backed
couple Of steps and offered me the temple
Shot | deliberately covered him, bearing
in my mind all the coaching l had for
meTly received from elephant slayers-a
line drawn from ear to eye as a base, from
the centre OF which is raised line at
right angles and six inches high. BY
joining the ends Of the base with this apex
a small imaginary triangle is formed,
within which the bullet must be planted.
| was in no hurry, felt quite cool, and
aimed at the centre Of the fatal triangle.
Bang! went the rifle. Instantly both ele-
plants reared, curling their trunks. For
a few seconds thus they faced us, then
tuned ana hod Either had no chance
of using them with effect, or it did
not occur to me that | had a second bar
rel, besides spare gun resting on the
tree. I confess / was much astonished
at the little effect Of my first fire. 1t was
afterward found that the bullet had
buried itself in mass of bone just above
the drain. We could see no blood trail.
but the track left behind their impetuous
rush was easily followed. After keeping
together for several hundred yards they
separated. One track was straight, and
showed the beast was rushing headlOng
and smashing down trees and all before
1t. We took up this track, rightly think
ing it was that of the wounded animal.
1t was now $3.50. For four hours, and as
fast as we could walk, we followed the
track, when the game was again in view.
The wounded animal left the bamboo
jungles and sought the thickest covert.
We followed, and came on him
time after time, but only his huge
stern presented itself. Finding he
was followed, he made for the kOo-
merG. This is secondary growth
that comes up after forest has once
been cleared for cultivation, and consists
of thOrns, bamboo, and creepers. Through
this tangled mass the elephant tore
his way, and it Was comparatively easy
thing to follow in his track, but next to
Impossible to penetrate in any other di-
rection. When the elephant stopped, we
stopped, hoping always that a shot might
be obtained. At last he made a longer
halt than usual. The result of his DELHI
eratiOns was clearly a determination to
be nd OF his pursuers, as he suddenly
turned round and faced lis at thirty Yards
instinctiyely ] felt he meant to charge. |
bad changed the express for the smooth
bore which Is better adapted for quick
shooting. On came the brute in full career
10 To ar rA.,t
Of mind at that moment. The uppermOst
feeling was not that had to kill the
beast, but that had to stop the charge.
Il was well did not think of running. for
that would have been fatal. | reserved
fire till he seemed quite near, and then
biaZed into the centre of his forehead. The
shot made him turn his head for an in
slant; but. to my horror, he still came on,
and, when within five PAGES, he received
my second shot on the right temple, two
inches above the eye. l then turned and
fed down the track. In supreme mo-
ments of peril we can often maintain our
presence of mind. Luckily, it was so in
this case, and the slipping in of two fresh
cartridges was the work of few seconds.
l then faced round, and to my unspeak-
able relief the Infatuated beast was no
longer charging. There he lay dead IN
his tracks, with II ounces of lead
lodged in his brain. He had fallen
noiselessly, his tusks buried deep in the
ground. The reaction now set in, and l
felt my legs trembling, the result of high
nervous tension during the brief but
fierce encounter. At the beginning Of the
charge my kuraba friends had sWarmed
up a tree, and they now called out not to
90 near the beast, as he might be feigning.
We cautiously approached, and soon
found the noble animal was robbed of all
his terrors and lay still in death. l was
now possessed Of a feeling of intense joy.
It was O'Clock, and, having eaten moth
ing since day break, the first thing to
think Of was lunch. We then cut off the
end Of the tail and made for home. Ku-
rabas are guided through the forest by in
stinct, and we struck out on Decline,
reaching the point where the horse was
left within two hours.