第64章

We shortly arrived at the spot in which the herd was concealed; it was a gentle slope covered with dense lemon grass, terminated by a jungle.We could just distinguish the tops of the elephants' heads in several places, and, having dismounted, we carefully entered the grass, and crept towards the nearest elephants.The herd was much scattered, but there were five elephants close to each other, and we made towards these, Banda leading the way.My only chance of making a bag lay in the first onset; I therefore cautioned Wallace to have the spare guns handed with extra diligence, and we crept up to our game.There were two elephants facing us, but we stalked them so carefully through the high grass that we got within four paces of them before they discovered us;they cocked their ears for an instant, and both rolled over at the same moment to the front shot.Away dashed the herd, trumpeting and screaming as they rushed through the high grass.For a few moments my game leg grew quite lively, as it was all downhill work, and I caught up an elephant and killed him with the left-hand barrel.Getting a spare gun, I was lucky enough to get between two elephants who were running abreast towards the jungle, and I bagged them by a right and left shot.Off went the herd at a slapping pace through the jungle, V.pitching it into them, but unfortunately to very little purpose, as they had closed up and formed a barrier of sterns; thus we could not get a good shot.For about a quarter of a mile I managed to hobble along, carried away by the excitement of the chase, through jungles, hollows, and small glades, till my leg, which had lost all feeling, suddenly gave way, and I lay sprawling on my face, incapable of going a step farther.I had killed four elephants; six had been killed altogether.It was very bad luck, as the herd consisted of eleven; but the ground was very unfavourable, and my leg gave way when it was most required.

A few days after this, the tents were pitched on the banks of the broad river of Pattapalaar, about eight miles beyond Nielgalla.Elephants were very scarce, and the only chance of getting them, was to work hard.We were on horseback at break of day, and having forded the river, we rode silently through plain and forest in search of tracks.We refused every shot at deer, lest we should disturb the country, and scare away the elephants.

We had ridden for some distance upon an elephant path, through a tolerably open forest at the foot of a range of rocky mountains, when Banda, who was some paces in advance, suddenly sprang back again, crying, 'Wallaha! wallaha!' (Bears! bears!) We were off our horses in a moment, but I fell sprawling upon my back, my leg being so powerless and numbed that I could not feel when I touched the ground.I recovered myself just in time to see a bear waddling along through the jungle, and I pushed after him in pursuit at my best pace.V.had disappeared in the jungle in pursuit of another bear, and I presently heard two or three shots.In the meantime my game had slackened speed to a careless kind of swaggering walk; and the underwood being rather thick, I was determined to get close to him before I fired, as I knew that I could not follow him far, and my success would therefore depend upon the first shot.Iovertook him in a few moments, and I was following within a foot of his tail, waiting for a chance for a clear shot between his shoulders, as the thick underwood parted above his back, when he suddenly sprang round, and with a fierce roar, he leaped upon the muzzle of the gun.Ifired both barrels into him as he threw his whole weight against it, and I rolled him over in a confused cloud of smoke and crackling bushes.In a moment he was on his legs again, but going off through the thick underwood at a pace that in my helpless state soon left me far behind.

His state must have been far from enviable, as he left portions of his entrails all along his track.V.had killed his bear; he weighed about two hundred pounds, and measured fourteen inches round the arm, without his hide.

The Ceylon bear is a most savage animal, constantly attacking men without the slightest provocation.I have seen many natives frightfully disfigured by the attacks of bears, which they dread more than any other animal.Nothing would induce my trackers to follow up the wounded beast.

I followed him as far as I could, but my useless limb soon gave way, and I was obliged to give him up.I once saw a Moorman, who was a fine powerful fellow and an excellent elephant-tracker, who had a narrow escape from a bear.He was cutting bamboos with a catty or kind of bill-hook, when one of these animals descended from a tree just above him and immediately attacked him.The man instinctively threw his left arm forward to receive the bear, who seized it in his mouth and bit the thumb completely off, lacerating the arm and wrist at the same time in a frightful manner.With one blow of the bill-hook the Moorman cleft the bear's skull to the teeth, at the same time gashing his own arm to the bone by the force of the blow; and he never afterwards recovered the proper use of the limb.

The Ceylon bear feeds upon almost anything that offers; he eats honey, ants, fruit, roots, and flesh whenever he can procure it: his muscular power is enormous, and he exerts both teeth and claws in his attack.

They are very numerous in Ceylon, although they are seldom met with in any number, owing to their nocturnal habits, which attract them to their caves at break of day.

After strolling over the country for some miles, we came upon fresh elephant-tracks in high grass, which we immediately followed up.In the course of half an hour, after tracking them for about two miles through open country, we entered a fine forest, in which the herd had retired;but our hopes of meeting them in this favourable ground were suddenly damped by arriving at a dense chenar jungle in the very heart of the forest.This chenar extended for some acres, and rose like a hedge, forming a sudden wall of thorns, which effectually checked our advance.