CHAPTER XI.
Excitement of Elephant-shooting--An Unexpected Visitor--A Long Run with a Buck--Hard Work Rewarded--A Glorious Bay--End of a Hard Day's Work--Bee-hunters--Disasters of Elk-hunting--Bran Wounded--'Old Smut's' Buck--Boar at Hackgalla--Death of 'Old Smut'-- Scenery from the Perewelle Mountains--Diabolical Death of 'Merriman'-- Scene of the Murder.
In describing so many incidents in elephant-shooting it is difficult to convey a just idea of the true grandeur of the sport: it reads too easy.
A certain number are killed out of a herd after an animated chase, and the description of the hunt details the amount of slaughter, but cannot possibly explain the peculiar excitement which attends elephant-shooting beyond all other sports.

The size of the animal is so disproportionate to that of the hunter that the effect of a large herd of these monsters flying before a single man would be almost ridiculous could the chase be witnessed by some casual observer who was proof against the excitement of the sport.

The effect of a really good elephant shot in the pursuit of a herd over open country is very fine.

With such weapons as the double-barrelled No.

10 rifles a shot is seldom wasted; and during the chase, an elephant drops from the herd at every puff of smoke.