native boat, which we could anchor to, and, as the breeze would be in our favour as soon as the moon went down, we would then reach our shooting ground about seven o'clock next morning. Back we went and slept for three hours inside the Dhomy among cocoa-nuts and rice. In these boats, generally, vermin of all sorts abound, but we were particularly lucky in meeting with a very clean one. At one o'clock we started, and, after a very tedious sail, the breeze being still against us, we got ashore by eleven o'clock, having been seated in a canoe, certainly not a foot wide, and in rather a heavy sea, for ten hours; this is not including our first "false start," at four o'clock. On our way we caught a large fish, about 12lbs. weight, part of which we had for our breakfast, and very good it was. Our camp was about a mile-and-a-half from the point where we landed. On our arrival there we found everything in "apple-pie" order. We did not give the boatmen the extra ten shillings which we had promised them if they landed us by nine o'clock; being rather haughty gentlemen they refused everything unless they received the ten shillings; but we knew their character too well, and they soon came to their senses and returned with a low salaam, and gladly took what was offered. Our beds were in a hut, and our dining room was the tent pitched before the door. After breakfast we got out our guns, mustered our forces generally, and away we started. My armament consisted of a double barrelled rifle, by Westley Richards, carrying 17 to the lb. Another piece of ordnance having the right barrel rifled and the left smooth, the one carrying II to the lb., and the other 14 to the lb., also my own double-barrelled gun and the little rifle. We each carried a gun, our others were behind with the gun carriers. The rest of our company we left in camp to look after the things. We first came across a wild pig, rooting up the ground. B― had a bang at him as he was going away, wounded him in the shoulder; but on he went. I then fired, and broke his hind leg, but he managed to get into the jungle, and we saw no more of him. I afterwards got a shot at an enormous pig, about seventy or eighty yards off, but only wounded him. Soon after we came upon an elephants' track, away we stole like cats; every leaf I trod upon, every time a branch crackled beneath my feet, either L or the hunter would look round with faces that seemed to say, "Why on earth don't you look where you put your feet." After a short time we came upon him, while in the act of pulling up a young tree. B got a very good shot at him, about four yards off, but hit too high, and off he went, crashing through the jungle. We all followed through the road he had made, and after some time came on him again at the top of a rock. As

B

B

was leading he got another shot at him, but no good, again the wrong place; we followed some way, but he was too quick for us. My feelings on being first ushered into his presence were, I fancy, very much like what they would be on first being introduced to Royalty itself. A sort of instinctive dread and reverence for such a dignified animal, very much what I felt when a small boy at school, towards one or two big bullies. A short time after the hunters started back while crossing a grassy place, and we saw a large rock snake, which L- despatched. It measured about eight feet long. I got a flying shot with ball at a Muscovy duck, but missed, of course. Arrived at our camp about six o'clock, and after dinner sharp to bed. Such was the first day of our tripFriday, the 9th of December, 1853. On the next day, Saturday, we had intended having a regular day of it, and so we started very early, and were well in the jungle by seven o'clock.

After being out a short time the weather looked bad, and it rained a little, so we took shelter in a temple cut out of the rock. After a short time on we went, taking a round towards home in hopes of seeing something; and luckily we came upon the track of a single elephant, but almost immediately we heard others "calling" not very far off, so we went after the herd, and, after a very long track, came upon a wild buffalo, who scampered away, and by the noise he made frightened the herd of elephants, which were close by. It was L's first shot, so after them he went; he got rather a long shot at one, but missed. I fired at a small one, sticking by his head between two trees, but I did not bring him down. As he was in L's way he gave him another shot, and away they all went, we after them. L- and I each got another gun and at them again; Lkilled his. B― also fired and killed his, and then fired at a small one, but missed. I dodged round a bush and knocked him over. After having cut off their tails and the end of their trunks (I did that part of the business myself to my own elephant, as it was my first one), we went back to where L had killed his, as we thought, but to our infinite disgust we found he had recovered his " pins" and bolted. We followed his track some way by the blood, but never overtook him. We then sat down on a rock and had a pipe and a drain, and then home. On my way I got a shot at a jungle cock;—this is a beautiful bird, something like a large barn-door cock, with very much finer plumage, and is splendid eating. The evening was wet, and so we could not regularly start out again; but B and I leaving L― to write his journal, went out for the "pot," but were very unlucky, getting nothing. I made a good shot with my rifle at a jackall running

about 80 or 90 yards off; we took him home for his skin. In the evening we sent our hunters for the tusks of our dead elephants, who brought them, as well as another tail of one they shot, making on the whole three elephants that day. After having duly celebrated my first elephant in a tumbler of champagne, we all went to bed and slept well. Next morning being Sunday, L-started with our hunters and coolies carring talipots to the plain we had fixed upon for our residence for the next few days. B-- and I went quietly with the bandies, and on arrival found L- busy making a talipot house for us. As we had nothing to eat for our dinner, I loaded my gun and shot two teal, but only bagged one, as the other fell into the tank, and I dared not go in on account of alligators. To my English friends perhaps it may seem strange our shooting at all on Sundays, but they must remember we were miles away from any inhabited place, and could get nothing except what we shot ourselves; besides, what is shot on Saturday frequently will not keep till Sunday. We mustered our company, and found our encampment consisted of our three selves, three appuos, three hunters, four housekeepers, fifteen coolies, three bullock drivers, four ponies, and six bullocks, making a total of thirty-one bipeds and ten quadrupeds. During the night, about twelve, we were awoke by the hunters coming into our tent to tell us an elephant was in the plain. As it was a fine moonlight night we were getting ready to go after him, when they came in to say he had retired into the jungle. Next morning, Monday, the 12th, we were up at daylight, and went on the track of our midnight friend, but we never came up with him. On crossing a large plain a herd of about eight deer started off, but were too far for a shot. Soon after we came upon two large elephants and a small one; it was my first shot. I aimed at the side of his head, but hit rather too low. As he was going off I sent the other barrel after him, but only grazed his jowl. L-fired right and left at him, but still on he went, and after nine shots Lpolished him off. In walking along a path with very thick jungle on each side, an elephant nearly walked over us; B—— was very quick, fired at him, and hitting him in the eye fortunately turned his We followed him some way, but the jungle was so bad we did not overtake him. I got a "stalk” at a herd of nearly forty deer at about hundred and twenty yards off, and hit a buck on the horn. On our way home L-shot both barrels at a pig; I fired after him, so did B, and on going to the jungle side we found it lying dead. At half-past three we went out again. B got within sixty yards of a herd of deer, but just as he was going to fire, off they went; both he and Ramblan, the hunter, fired, but with no re

course.

sult. Ramblan said On our return Lthing awful, for two miles or more along the heaviest sea sand; I never remember being so glad to arrive at any place as at the tent. During dinner it rained in such torrents that we were really quite afraid of being washed away. Tuesday, the 13th, we started by six o'clock, and soon came across a cow buffalo. L fired at her, so did I; after one or two more shots we killed her close to the jungle. Having cut off sufficient meat for ourselves and coolies we went on. Our hunters are Malays, and by their religion cannot eat any meat unless they let the blood out themselves, so they cut the throat. The only place to kill a buffalo is behind the shoulder or at the back of the head: a ball flattens against their skulls. In the afternoon we went out again. I carried the little rifle in hopes of getting something for dinner, for we had lately been having little else but chickens-we had determined not to open our tins of meat till actually in want of food. I took a shot at a pig, but, of course, the rifle did no execution. L-killed a pea hen; they are very excellent eating, much better than the turkey out here. It rained all night, but our talipot house kept the wet out. These talipots are the leaves of the talipot palm, sewn together, and are proof against rain for months, but are easily broken. Wednesday, the 14th, out at six o'clock, leaving orders for the encampment to move to a large plain about four miles further on, called "Bootooway." We came on five buffaloes, L—— and I fired at one; as he was wounded we followed him a long way into the jungle, but did not get another at him. We then got back to the path where we had left our ponies, and the housekeeper pointed out a large herd of buffaloes feeding on the plain. We stalked them, and as we were getting up to them, three coolies, who were crossing the plain, on their way for the village called "Galle," attracted their attention, but the herd did not mind them a bit:-the natives have to shout and yell at them to get them out of the way; but as soon as a white man shews himself they are off. On being frightened by the noise, off they went, we after them. An old cow, with a very young calf, faced me, and I heard my lead flatten on her thick skull. Lchivied the calf, and soon caught it. I came up, drew my knife, and endeavoured to ham-string it, expecting the mother down upon us every moment.

they saw a cheetah, which frightened them. killed a wild cat. Our walk home was some

Having handed the veal over to our housekeeper, we went on he track of elephants, which we had seen while stalking the buffaloes. We soon came up with them; it was L- -'s first shot, which he missed, of course by missing I generally did not kill-I

fired, as I thought, at his head, as he moved away; but the jungle was so thick, that I mistook his carcase for his head, and sent my ball through his stomach: B——, also, killed one.

After seeing there was no chance of coming up with the rest, we returned to the dead ones, and cut off their trunks, and tails. Every elephant we kill in this district is worth five pounds to us, as on our return we present the trunk and tail to the government agent of the district: this is, I believe, the only one where they

pay you.

On our return to the tent, the appuos said a single elephant had come and looked what they were about, and on firing my little rifle at him, had quietly walked away. We then saw some deer; L- got a shot,-we have done very badly with the deer. In the afternoon, in crossing a small plain near "home," one of the hunters spied a bear coming towards us; L-stalked him, and banged both barrels after him. I also banged two at him, as he was making for the jungle, but no good. We were very anxious to get a bear, as they are scarce. Generally, as soon as fired at, they come towards you on their hind legs; but this one "turned tail," and did not give us another chance. L-— got a beautiful shot at a young elk, but missed. I fired at him in the jungle, in hope of getting him, but was disappointed.

In

Thursday, the 15th, started by 6 o'clock, and very soon came upon the track of a lage herd of elephants; on nearing a tank, we saw two or three buffaloes in the water; but left them undisturbed, fearing they might alarm the elephants. On coming up with the herd-it being my first shot-I fired the right barrel of my rifle at one with his side toward me, but he only shook his head and off: with the left I killed a half grown one, as he was trying to join the herd. L followed them, but his gun unfortunately missed fire. On coming home, a young doe shewed herself on the open; she ran in a regular circle round us; our balls flying round about her in every direction, but the right one--this was a shocking mess. the afternoon, I stalked a herd of deer on the plain, and got about 60 or 70 yards off, and fired at a buck lying down; I wounded him very badly; he had great difficulty in getting up; I gave him the other barrel as he was attempting to join the herd. We tracked him a long way by his blood, but never got him,-there seemed to be some fatality with the deer. B- got a shot at a pig in a muddy hole, and finished him before he could rise; we cut off his snout for his tusks. Soon after, we came upon a single elephant; but he got wind of us, and was away without a shot. I got a long shot at a pig going through the jungle.