ing up wind, and went to stalk them with the No. 14. After half an hour's severe toil I got a shot within range at a most splendid buck; but whether from the previous excitement with the elephants or nervousness, my hand shook to such a degree that I perpetrated a most disgraceful miss. Struck into some thick bèdé which bounds the heavy forest on the banks of the Yallé river, and came upon innumerable fresh tracks. Hit one off, and, after pursuing it for a hundred yards, came suddenly upon a single elephant, who made off, roaring and trumpeting, at an awful rate. Got a shot at him going up a bank without stopping him, ran him for some minutes more, and then, clapping on extra steam, I cut him off going round a big thorn-bush, and killed him with a ball in the temple. Went on to the Yallé river, now quite close by, and had a most delicious bathe. Really this river is par excellence, I think, superior to any other flowing stream in the island. Certainly nothing mixes so well with brandy as its pellucid waters. Had a siesta. Homewards in the afternoon. The Cingalese tracker, "Soor Appoo," who was leading, suddenly stopped short, and yelled out, "Wallaha! wallaha!"* (a bear, a bear). I caught the No. 10 out of his fist, and seeing a black bundle a few yards off in the dark jungle, I let drive, and, running in, found I had killed a very fine bear. The ball struck him slick between the eyes; the man said he was in the act of springing upon him when he rushed back. Not having time to skin him, we cut a pole and made three of the coolies carry him. We got out of the bèdé at some large boulders of stone, close to what I think is called the Yallé Rock (a high sugar-loafed peak). Sent some of the coolies on with the bear towards camp, and beat up the plain nearly to the base of the rock. Coming round some large mimosa-bushes, I saw a herd of ten or twelve thundering elephants feeding. The sun was very powerful, just setting, and full in my eyes. I got well up to the herd, and dropped the two leaders right and left. The others bolted into the jungle; I cut in after them, but the thorns brought me up, and I fired several shots in a wild and undecided manner. I killed one with the last barrel loaded (the big No. 4) whilst stopping to get Charles Moore, which was, together with the No. 14 single rifle, in the rear. I heard a deuce of a scrimmage, and cries of "Arné, dorie, arné!"† (elephant, sir, elephant), and found myself shut off from my guns by an immense elephant, with a horribly furious countenance. I ran towards my people, and met my gun-bearer, Maliappu, with the small rifle. I had just time to cock, turn round and fire, and shot my friend, who was hard after me, as dead as a door-nail. This elephant was one of the first knocked down, and had come to his senses, and came up to have the row out. This was a very narrow squeak for some of my coolies, who would,

in the Putlam and northern districts of the island. Some of the large bucks which have come under my notice are well worthy hours of toil to get within range of. Their flesh, however (excepting the tongue and liver), is insipid to my taste. I should be afraid to put down here the dimensions of some horns killed by Mr. Sam Baker and Mr. Palliser, but they are stupendous-say forty inches! *The Cingalese and Moormen in the Hambantotte and Batticoloa districts have a most intense horror of Bruin. I myself have seen some men who have met with most dreadful disfigurements; especially one case, in which three-quarters of the man's face were torn away, leaving the remainder a most disgusting sight. This man was attacked unawares whilst felling mallilla wood.

† Arné, Malabar for elephant.

perhaps, have come to grief had the rifle not done its duty. The ball had only 1 drachm of powder behind it. This day evidently must be marked with a white stone, ten elephants being more than any sportsman has killed to his own gun for some years past in a day.* Had Frederick Palliser been with me, we should not have lost an elephant we saw. I got home at eight P.M., dreadfully tired, and not equal to my dinner. Had a pipe and turned in. Total killed up to this evening: sixteen elephants, one bear, one buffalo, one deer, one hog.

Jan. 21.-Did not get away from camp until six A.M. "Die Morgenstunde hat gold im Munde" (for gold, read "elephants' tails," which are rewarded at the government tarifft of five shillings each). Rode through the tank to Kattagamma village, our course being nearly in the same direction as that of yesterday. Found a good many fresh tracks, but could not succeed in hitting any of them off successfully. Made a vain attempt to stalk a fine spotted buck, but could not get within range of him. After a long trudge through some disgusting thorny brakes, tangled with huge creepers, we came upon quite fresh marks of elephants; these I followed for above an hour at a bursting pace as fast as the villanous jungle would permit. Halted, and had a pull at the bottle, and whilst drinking "Luck," heard a trumpet "up wind." I quickly bolted off, and, after a tough walk, got up with the herd, who were standing in a dense thorny jungle; in fact, every twig a fishhook of calibre. Killed the first I got up to, and when in the act of pulling trigger at another, a shot close behind me caused me to look round. Bab Alli having discharged my second No. 10, swearing an elephant was charging me behind (I was running at the time), I stopped for a second and lavished all kinds of expletives upon him for daring to fire. On again, and dropped a large female, accompanied by her young one, which latter I would not meddle with. Being terribly blown with the chase, I brought to for a few seconds, when suddenly "whir-r-r," and down came the real GENUINE rogue, with ears cocked, and lofty action. I had the No. 14 rifle in my hand, and shot him dead almost in the centre of my people. This is the second time this rifle of Beattie's has stood me in good stead, and the effect with 14 drachm of powder is certainly wonderful. This was a narrow shave, for I had only this No. 14 to depend upon. From this place, after removing the caudal appendages, I wended my way to

Captain Galwey, Frederick Palliser, and his brother Edward (now a captain in the Royal Military Train) shot, I think, twenty-four in one day's shooting in the Park country. Major Skinner (commissioner of roads), who was an intense admirer of elephant shooting some years ago, killed some thirteen elephants on more than one occasion in the day's sport to his own gun. Think of that—six brace and a half!

In certain districts of the island the damage done by elephants to cultivated lands was so great, that the government agents fixed a price on every elephant's tail "of five shillings," payable at the Cutcherry on the production of the same, together with the tip of the animal's trunk. In the Jaffra district the planters give a reward of 51. for each animal killed, as they are very mischievous amongst the young Cocoa-nut plantations. I myself became entitled to a reward of twenty-five guineas for killing an old rogue elephant on the Rajawelle estate a few weeks ago.-April 1st, 1858.

The trumpet of an elephant in the act of charging, and when within a few yards, is very trying to the nerves, and the only remedy" in such an hour" is a No. 10 double-rifle, with six drachms of powder behind a well patched bullet.

the Yallé river, and had breakfast and a bath, and a capital sleep in the grass hammock. Started for camp when the sun was getting low. Saw a fine spotted buck in the pathway, and, on firing at him, thought I had missed, seeing the ball strike beyond him. On walking up I found him dead by the side of the path in the jungle, the ball having passed through his heart. Stalked a large buffalo, and shot him with the "four ounce." Stopped and had the horns cut out, as I had promised Swinburne Ward a good bull's-head to match the large horns of the female I killed last year. A strange circumstance happened when I was drawing near camp. Passing through some thickish scrub, a large alligator bolted away* nearly under my feet; as he was rushing up a bank I fired at him with the No. 14 rifle. The bullet struck him at the back of the head, and split it up like a lobster: at the same time his tail went up, and he looked a most hideous brute. Suddenly he set to work and lashed the bushes, but a second shot under his forearm stopped his capers. He was three times the length of my loading-rod, which is three feet and a half long. Got home so utterly done up, that I could not look at my dinner. I had, however, eaten a very good breakfast. I begin to feel that without a companion-a kindred spirit-to share the toils and the spoils, and at night o'er the pipe thrice to slay the slain, I cannot carry on much longer, as I am getting heartily tired of my own company. Total killed up to this evening: nineteen elephants, one bear, two buffaloes, two deer, one hog, and the alligator of course.

Jan. 22.-Away before sunrise, and down the Kattregam road. Shot a fine young buck close by the tent, and sent him back. Rode on for five miles towards Kattregam, and came upon fresh tracks crossing the road. Sent my horse home, and followed the marks but the wind was very unfavourable, the herd having taken the alarm to leeward of us, and had to give them up, the jungle being too dense and thorny to make any progress in, after game. On the qui vive.† Went back to the road, and came upon another fresh track, which I resolved to follow, the wind being slightly more in my favour. The jungle appeared dreadfully unfavourable for shooting in, being so dense in parts, that to see an elephant half a dozen yards beyond one's nose appeared an impossibility. Soon heard my friends crashing a short way ahead, and killed the two biggest of the lot, and after a long run, in which I expended all my ammunition except a solitary barrel of "Westley Richards," I got a

In the Hambantotte district there are small tanks here and there scattered through the jungle, and generally inhabited by alligators. I have frequently seen these hideous monsters in dense jungle, perhaps on a migratory tour to some neighbouring tank. Some of the rocks bordering the water show the marks of steps hewn out of them, well worn by the feet of those bygone generations who once inhabited the vast cities of former ages, whose relics still meet the eye in most portions of these dense jungles. Strange that their fate is so perfectly buried in the past, and no link left. I allude more particularly to the once vast city of Maha-Tisseram.

In elephant shooting in Ceylon now-a-days there appears to be in the company of every herd an old male, who appears to take the duty of outlying picket, and very frequently, after the discharging of one's whole battery into the main body, he is apt to make his appearance, when there is nothing left but to cut and run. Elephants are not the same placid animal as they "used to was ;" and I never go up to an elephant without expecting to be charged most instantaneously, and am rarely wrong in my anticipation.

good ear shot, and killed a third. Had there only been fair play to run, I would have picked up the whole lot, which consisted of a herd of six. Nothing, in my humble experience, ever came up to the thorns in this jungle. Palliser will remember the elephant we chevied at Wellawy, and the style of jungle; this, if possible, was a "worser." Returned to camp to breakfast-the sun most fearfully hot. I must, however, pay this country the compliment of saying that the nights are deliciously cool and no mosquitoes, consequently I sleep most capitally. The only drawback is the want of a good pool to bathe in. I send all the loiterers in camp off to the Yallé river every afternoon, each man bringing home his cooking-chatty full of nice clear water; consequently, I always have a dozen to empty over my head in the evening when I return. Went out again at three P.M., but did not come on any elephants, so I fancy the country is getting alarmed by the heavy reportst of my battery. Saw an old hog trotting along, and, out of spite, sent a four-ounce bullet through him, cracking both his shoulders into splinters. Walked home at an easy pace, tired and knocked up.

Total killed up to this evening: twenty-two elephants, one bear, two buffaloes, three deer, two hogs, and the alligator.

Jan. 23.-Resolved to shift camp to "Palitoo-Pane, distant about twelve miles. Started off the tent, baggage, and rice-cart, and went on ahead myself with the trackers, and came upon fresh tracks. After proceeding along the road for some miles they struck off into the jungle. Followed on, and had a long, weary walk. Came to a halt, when Bab Alli said that the wind was very unfavourable, that the elephants were proceeding down wind, and we should never get near them. Not being in the most serene temper at the time, from the labour hitherto expended in vain, I ordered him to go on. Strange to say, we had not proceeded a quarter of a mile when I saw three large elephants feeding to our right. Made a small circumbendibus, in order to get a favourable slant of the breeze, which was eddying all kind of ways. The game quickly became aware of my presence, upon which I ran in at the nearest as hard as I could spin, and killed with a bullet in the temple. I immediately gave chase to the next one, to whom I am ashamed to say I administered the whole remaining contents of my battery, killing her with the small rifle-nine shots in all! I had to run like a fiend to keep up with her, and a stern chase being a long chase, I kept firing on every opportunity that the inequality of ground gave me, in hopes I might disable her. My last chance was cutting her off whilst crossing the dry

* Also the old Moorman, "Callander" by name, who came in for some "dry blows," and whose gun blowing off half his fingers, rather astonished him. Verb. sap.: so much for "Liége manufacture" and Curtis and Harvey's diamondgrain gunpowder.

†The report of a gun (especially in hilly ground, where there is more reverberation) is quite enough to send any elephant miles out of the district. I remember, at Condawatawenne (below the Park country), seeing an old rogue on the opposite side of the tank-certainly a distance of two miles-make a clean bolt on my clearing my barrels with a couple of good caps. The GENUINE rogue, however, will not unfrequently anticipate the shooter, a shot, however distant, putting him immediately on the qui vive, and to see him in this state, aroused, wide awake, and "tout à fait éveillé" on an opposite hill, is an amusing sight, and his activity in searching and wishing to meet the apparent danger would astonish a novice, "et nullus error."

bed of a nullah, and I succeeded in bagging her whilst ascending the bank. This was an enormous female, with very large tusks. Had to go back to get the first one's tail. He was an old male, and had an old bullet-wound in the bulb of his trunk, most likely made by Lennox's rifle a couple of years back. Got to Palitoo-Pane just as the coolies had finished pitching the tent. Had some breakfast, the chief "plât" being a large dish of "tyre," which Lazarus had procured from the village. Tyre is similar to English junket, and is made from buffalo's milk in these diggings. It reminds me of what we used to have in the German tea-gardens called "Mackai." At three P.M. I started towards Yallé, and walked on until nearly five P.M. without seeing anything. Came upon a single elephant feeding away with his head in a big bush. Getting close up to him I gave a most hideous yell, upon which he popped his head out to see what was up! I instanter gave him a No. 10 in the ear, when he sank to the ground as gracefully as any elephant under such circumstances could be expected to do. One of my coolies, who had never seen an elephant before, bolted away with the most terrific shouts, and, as he carried the bottle, it was important to bring him back. He was caught at last, and on being brought back, some of the old hands rubbed him from head to foot with the blood that bubbled and frothed up from the bullet-hole. Such a Red Indian I never saw before. I wish I possessed the skill to make a sketch of this group. Turned homewards, and whilst walking along the main road close to the sea, I came upon two large elephants feeding in a tank. I had only time to fire at the last as he was disappearing into the jungle, and planted a ball from the four-ounce in his back. Bab Alli told me that these two elephants were well known, were both males, and always appeared inseparable, but had constantly been seen fighting. Indeed, when I came upon them they appeared to have had a round or two, as they stood head to head. Thundering big fellows they were, too! On my way to camp, when approaching the village (which consists of three huts!), I was nearly transfixed on the horns (not of a dilemma, but) of an enormous buffalo belonging to a large tame (?) herd. Sent for the head man, and ordered him to tie his beasts up, or they might be charging the tent during the night, which would disturb my slumbers most materially. Got home at eight A.M.; not an atom of appetite for my dinner, so drank a pint of very fiery and powerful military port wine,‡ and turned in.

Total killed up to this evening: twenty-five elephants, one bear, two buffaloes, three deer, two hogs, and, of course, the "halligaiter."

Now Major Lennox, R.E. (V.C.), who killed a great many elephants in these jungles whilst he was stationed at Point de Galle.

On my way back to Badulla the tail of this elephant was brought to me, but I could not find out where the bullet had struck him. The man described the elephant as having fallen a few yards beyond where I last saw him, so I fancy the large four-ounce ball must have smashed his spine.

Brandy is certainly the best drink for the Ceylon sportsman. A little, well diluted, keeps one up wonderfully, if taken either when flagging from over-exhaustion, or from the depression consequent upon excitement. Sherry is also a most excellent friend; but, alas! beer must be avoided, partly from the effects of the sun after drinking it, and more particularly from the expense of carrying it about.