266 IN CHAPTER XIV. WHICH THERE IS MUCH SMOKE BUT VERY FOR several days the preparation for the expedition continued, and it was well that there was this delay, for it gave time for the dissemination among the neighbouring villages of the news of the terrible death of the poor girl; and such terror did it excite, such anger did it arouse, that each village at once armed and sent forth its contingent to aid in the destruction of the common enemy. At length the day arrived for the marching of our army of hunters, under the command of the headman; but such an army did we form, that to a stranger it would have seemed that we were setting forth for the conquest of a province rather than the destruction of a single animal. This formidable troop consisted of about one hundred natives, all picked elephant-hunters, slight, active, but athletic fellows, all bone and muscle, without an atom of superfluous flesh about them; moreover, as accustomed to danger and difficulties (perhaps more so) as to their daily food. Some A BULL-ELEPHANT. 267 were armed with axes sharpened to the keenest edge; some with long spears; while others of lower caste carried elephant ropes made of twisted thongs of raw deer hide. The march was arranged so that upon reaching the jungle, and the trackers (who were sent in advance) having discovered the hiding-place of the elephant, they could at a given signal easily form into a square, the spearmen in front, the axemen upon either flank, and the ropemen in the rear. "Oddsbobs! what a fuss hundred men to one beast. about nothing. A Why, hang me, if it don't beat bombarding a doll's house with a broadside of sixty-four pounders," said Bob, who had been silently watching the marshalling of this warlike array. "Massa Bob Bosen laugh, 'cos 'um neber see rogue elephant; but Fos tell 'um dat rogue, 'specially bull rogue, berry, berry drefful," said the boy, seriously. "Bull! what d'ye mean by a bull, boy? It's an elephant they are going to make love to, isn't it?" replied Bob. "Ah! ah! Massa Bob heard of man-child, woman-child; but s'pose 'um neber hear ob bullelephant, cow-elephant. Dat berry queer," replied the boy, with a laugh, but at the same time. getting out of Bob's reach. However, leaving the two to settle the dispute as best they might, I returned to our house with the hope of persuading May to remain with the women in the village. "Nay, nay, Tom; for however I might fear accompanying you, I should still more dread remaining here while both you and Bob were away." "Tut, tut, dear May, this is foolish; for what have you to dread in this village?" "Tom," she said, very seriously, "my suspicions may be groundless-I hope they are-but the truth is, I doubt the honesty of the headman." Nonsense, May. But even so, the headman goes and returns with the party." "Poh, poh dear brother; think you he does not leave those behind capable of doing his will ?” adding, "I tell you, Tom, it is my belief that he is a rogue; and moreover, that during your absence it is his intention to have me seized and sent up to Kandy as a slave present to the king; so, brother, once for all, I will go with you." And-but not to prolong my narrative-she did accompany us upon a small horse the headman had provided for the conveyance of our tents, provisions, and extra ammunition, and, like Bob and I, armed with a rifle, hunting-knife, and small axe. Well, all being ready, the order was given to march. At that moment, however, we were sur prised and annoyed by a fearful yelling and howling; and the order was rescinded, while a party was detached to drive back the whole community of dogs of the village, which animals, either desirous of volunteering for the expedition, or, which was more probable, sadly hungered by the long-continued drought, which kept them more than half starved, followed in the rear. Now, of the annoyance of these dogs in a tropical climate you can have no conception; for although pets in this country, in Asia, but in Ceylon especially, they are a pest, or rather were at that time. What they are even now we may learn from the pages of Tennent, who writes:"There is no native wild dog in Ceylon, but every village and town is haunted by mongrels of European descent, which are known by the generic description of Pariahs. They are a miserable race, ackowledged by no owners, living on the garbage of the streets and sewers; lean, wretched, and mangy, and if spoken to unexpectedly, shrinking with an almost involuntary cry. Yet in these persecuted outcasts there survives that germ of instinctive affection which binds the dog to the human race, and a gentle word, even a look of kindness, is sufficient foundation for a lasting attachment. The Singhalese, from their religious aversion to taking away life in any form, permit the increase of these desolate creatures, till, in the hot season, they become so numerous as to be a nuisance; and the only expedient hitherto devised by the civil government to reduce their number is once a year to offer a reward for their destruction, when the Tamils and Malays pursue them in the streets with clubs (guns being forbidden by the police for fear of accidents), and the unresisting dogs are beaten to death on the side-paths and door-steps, where they had been taught to resort for food. Lord Torrington, while Governor of Ceylon, attempted the more civilised experiment of putting some check on their numbers by imposing a dog-tax, the effect of which would have been to have led to the drowning of puppies; whereas there is reason to believe that dogs are at present bred by the horse-keepers to be killed for sake of the reward." Well, having at length by great exertions driven these dogs back to the village, we resumed our march, and upon our way heard from some villagers who had joined that morning, that the King of Kandy, having been informed of the ravages which for so long a time had been committed by this terrible rogue, and, moreover, of the murder of the woman, had given his royal permission for the beast to be killed (for in those days no elephant, however terrible, might be slain without a royal license); also his best wishes for our success, and a promise of his royal favour to |