He was a noble-looking fellow, every inch a rogue, his head almost white with numerous flesh-coloured spots.

These give a savage and disgusting appearance to an elephant, and altogether he looked a formidable opponent.

I had intended to shout on arriving at my present position, and then to wait for the front shot as he charged; but on looking back to the tamarind-tree and my proposed course for retreat, the distance appeared so great, rendered still more difficult by a gradual ascent, that I felt it would be impossible to escape if my chance lay in running.

I hardly knew what to do; I had evidently caught a 'Tartar.' His head was perpetually swinging to and fro, and I was of course accordingly altering my position to avoid his eye.

At one of these half turns he flapped his right ear just as his head came round, and I observed a perfectly white mark, the size of a saucer, behind the ear, in the exact spot for a fatal shot.