Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-12-19
AN ELEPHANT EVERY SHOT.
Remarkable shooting OF nm English
Army Omcer In the Mnds
Of India.


Gen. J. Michael, OF the Madras
STAFF, in the British army, was IN
his time one Of the most noted ele-
phant shots among the English resi-
dents OF India and his earliest ex-
ploits inspired his native attendants
with a wonderful amount OF conf
denee in him as well II might. lie
got among a herd Of elephants in very
long grass and for some time could
not get a shot. At last he got up
20 one and, dropping It dead, jumped
onto the body and with second gun
dropped two more elephants before
they had time TO make OF, says a
London exchange.
It was said Of Michael tnat he was
in the habit Of going out with three
double-barreled guns and frequently
got five elephants In FIVE shots, but
could never get the sixth, as he al
ways made IL n rule 10 keep one bar
rel in reserve.
An acquaintance says; 81 had an
opportunity Of asking him IL this
were true. cannot recollect what
he said about having performed this
feat more than once, but he told
me how he just missed getting a
sixth elephant out Of herd through
mistake. lie got up 20 a herd in
n Jungle and commenced operations
on n tuslSer that was standing by a
clump OF bamboo. The smoke hung
and he could not sec what happened.
but on the other side of the clump
OF bamboo he saw n tusler which he
presumed Wls the one he had just
fred at, so promptly dropped IL. lie
had get three more out OF the herd
and was reduced TO his last barrel.
when another elephant, a tuskeT,
'hink, gave him very easy chance.
which he could hardly have missed
but he would not break his rule, sc
let him go. On returning to the
clump of bamboos he found two tusk'
ers dead, making FIVE elephants in
all, and regretted he had not broken
his rule for once. Think Of three
brace Of elephants for one days
bagl
"The following is the feat in the
recollection OF which I happen to
know the general himself finds most
satisfaction, because he considers Il
showed thorough knowledge Of the
game; One day he was out botan
izing with friend and was unarmed
They heard elephants IN a sholah be.
low and Michael sent back for his
rifles. On getting down into the sho-
lah Michael found his quarry was
two tuskers, evidently travelling one
behind the other. He intercepted
them and had covered the leader and
was just going TO FIRE when IL flashed
through his brain that the second
would escape him greedy mani lie
accordingly dropped the hindmost
elephant first and. as he anticipated
the leader wheeled around and got
blocked by his PROSTATE companion
and gave Michael time TO lay him out
beside him-the two fell with their
tusks together.
Gen. Michael shot the majority OF
his hundred and odd elephants with
a 14-bore, which In the days OF muz-
ale leaders was che ordinary gun.
just as i2-bore is now. The max.
imum charge in the gauge Of his
powder flask was five drains, but
when he was loading for elephants
he used 70 add a little more. Com
pare this with the metal and charges
used for big game nowl His success
in this particular form OF sport was
due quite as much to a perfect
knowledge Of the game as 10 splen.
did shooting. His directions for find
ing the way to the brain OF an eie
phant were as follows;
Imagine a ramrod (there wer,