[The Rifle and The Hound in Ceylon by Samuel White Baker]@TWC D-Link bookThe Rifle and The Hound in Ceylon CHAPTER V 22/42
These two elephants were standing belly-deep in the water, about a quarter of a mile from the shore; and the question was, 'How were we to get near them ?' Having observed that the other rogues had retreated to the forest at the noise of the firing, it struck me that we might by some ruse induce these two champions to follow their example, and, by meeting them on their entrance, we might bring them to action. Not far upon our left, a long shallow bank, covered with reeds, stretched into the tank.
By wading knee-deep along this shoal, a man might approach to within 200 paces of the elephants and would be nearly abreast of them.
I, therefore, gave a man a gun, and instructed him to advance to the extreme end of the shallows, taking care to conceal himself in the rushes, and when at the nearest point he was to fire at the elephants.
This, I hoped, would drive them to the jungle, where we should endeavour to meet them. The Moorman entrusted upon this mission was a plucky fellow, and he started off, taking a double gun and a few charges of powder and ball. The elephant-catchers were delighted with the idea, and we patiently awaited the result.
About a quarter of an hour passed away, when we suddenly saw a puff of white smoke spring from the green rushes at the point of the sandbank.
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