From the United Service Magazine.

SPORTING SCENES IN NEPAUL.

In submitting the following sketches of sporting life in the East, I have simply to premise that I have constantly resided in India during the last twenty years, and have been actively employed for some portion of that time in the Nepaul territory, which is an independent state, having a

in water, and every kind of sickness or ailment is invariably laid to the charge of that element; and being great consumers of that beverage, they certainly ought, generally speaking, to be good judges. Be this as it may, the Chittagong elephants are decided water drinkers, and so are those in the upper country; we may therefore infer that the Chittagong water must be the bet

occurred to me personally, in the course of various sporting excursions in that unexplored territory of India, and I trust that the novelty and originality of the facts, to the faithful representation of which I confidently pledge myself, may be found of some interest, especially when it is considered that, from the nature of our treaties with the Nepaul government, and their extreme jealousy towards all Europeans, opportunities similar to those which have fallen to my lot have never been afforded to any other British officer.

The Terai, or more properly the Turiyanee, a long belt, or strip, of low level land, lying along the border of the provinces of Oude and Bahar, consists for the most part of forests nearly seven hundred miles in length, and varying from ten to fifteen miles in breadth. The chief natural produce of the forest are the oak, the pine, the rattan, and the bamboo, all of enormous size, affording cover for almost every animal known in India, from the stately elephant to the savage tiger, the pursuit of which occasions much excitement, although often attended with considerable danger. In many parts of the forests these animals abound, particularly the elephant, and as the death of one of these magnificent animals will form the principal subject of the present sketch, I will here offer a few remarks upon their nature, and the course pursued by the Nepaulese in obtaining possession of them, which differs greatly from the means employed for similar purposes by the British government in the Chittagong districts, where the elephants are taken by pitfalls and

become increased to the dimensions of a muscular Yorkshireman's thigh, his wretched toes appearing like a fringe to his bloated limb. The catching and taming of wild elephants furnish a large source of revenue to the Nepaul government. The mode of taking them is this: The Taroos, or elephant catchers, having marked down a wild herd of 300 or 400 elephants, the following preparations are made. About 200 Taroos collect together, mounted upon elephants, and accompanied by two large "taking elephants," highly fed, and kept always musth, (sensual,) and when in that state their ferocity is such, that no one but their keeper dares to approach them. The herd of wild elephants having been started, they get away trumpeting and whistling into the thickest part of the forest, hotly pursued by the mounted Taroos, each of whom is provided with three or more nooses, called the moosack, which is made of very strong raw hide, well soaked in oil, and so ingeniously contrived that, when once attached to the elephant, the hind legs are gradually drawn together at every step they take, until he is brought to a complete stand-still. The chase continues frequently for twenty miles at full speed, until, in fact, the wild herd becomes blown and brought to a stand. The danger then commences, from the wild ones dashing at their pursuers, in their turn causing the most intense excitement during half an hour, until the arrival of the two musth elephants, whose bulk prevents their keeping up with the more active ones, ridden by the Taroos. These two elephants, each having three keepers upon their

among the wild ones, and soon paralyzes their efforts of resistance. The active little Taroos now slide down from their steeds, and under cover of one of the musth elephants, who pushes himself forcibly against the wild one selected from the herd, they, in a most dexterous and daring manner, slip the moosack on to each of the hind legs, which performance occupies about three minutes. The noosed elephant is then allowed to herd to abscond, and employ themselves in fastening the noosed elephants to separate trees, where they are detained from two to three weeks under the careful charge of the takers. If any of the captured show symptoms of violence, they are immediately punished most severely, by two of the large tame elephants, who belabor them unmercifully with their trunks. Two such thrashings effectually cure the most insubordinate, and at the expiration of six weeks, the once free and independent denizen of the forest has a keeper on his back, and becomes as quiet as if he had been in a state of subjection all his life.

As Chittagong is celebrated for the beauty and size of its elephants, so is Nepaul celebrated for the hardiness and ugliness of her produce: a fatal peculiarity extended to the Nepaulese themselves. The full-grown female elephants seldom exceed seven feet and a half in height, but the males of forty years old, at which age they are considered to be full grown, are fine fellows, averaging from nine to eleven feet. The elephant whose death I am about to describe was eleven feet four inches in stature. His head and tusks are now in possession of the Earl of Derby, at Knowlsey Park, near Liverpool; and, as his lordship's splendid collection there is open to the public, any one wishing to satisfy himself of the battering required by an Indian elephant before he bites the dust can inspect the specimen to which I refer. I can well remember that he fought me for two hours before I killed him, and I had not made his acquaintance (on foot) ten minutes before I repented of my past folly in confronting him, and would, if he had allowed me, have most readily beaten a most igno

the third shot. The rajah then said, that as he had given me permission (which was the first that had been granted to an English officer) to sport in his forests, I ought to endeavor to render an important service to Nepaul, and that I certainly should do so if I succeeded in destroying this elephant. I immediately undertook the trial, and promised to do my best; but, upon taking leave, the rajah said: "I am not quite in earnest about that elephant, and would rather you should not go near him; for, two years ago, I sent down a couple of guns, six-pounders, to destroy him, but the party, after firing two shots at, and missing, him, had to run for their lives, leaving the two sixpounders, which the elephant amused himself by upsetting." I told his highness that, as the elephant had already destroyed so many human beings, (native reports had stated upwards of one hundred, though I considered the number to have been greatly over-rated,) I had made up my mind to encounter this animal. The rajah hereupon appointed two native chiefs, named Sirdar Bowance Sing, and Sirdar Delhi Sing, the reputed Nimrods of Nepaul, to accompany me. These two chiefs assured the rajah, on taking leave, that if I should not be able to destroy the famous "Shikar Bassa Hattee," they would do so; and we shall presently see to what extent these two valiant Sirdars fulfilled their promises.

We took our departure the following day, the Sirdars taking with them at least twenty guns each, English and Hindostanee. I had my own usual battery of two double-barrelled rifles, one single rifle, carrying a 3-oz. ball, and three firstrate double guns. We opened our sporting cam

ite guns to amuse himself. During my stay at Nepaul, I had upon various occasions been so fortunate as to kill sundry rhinoceroses, tigers, and bears, with some ease, and during a visit of ceremony to the Durbar, (court,) when Mr. Brian Hodgson was resident at Nepaul, to whom much credit is undoubtedly due for his persevering researches in zoology and ornithology, the rajah asked me, at an audience, if I thought I should be able to kill a wild elephant. I answered in the affirmative, when he added: "But I wish you to understand, that the one I allude to is a fearful shetan (devil): he has been musth for many years!" I must here observe, that an elephant when musth is mad, and while in that state is always avoided, and not driven away (as is generally but erroneously supposed) by the rest of the herd, and is thus consequently compelled to become a solitary, but very dangerous hermit. His highness added, that his elephant-catching had been entirely put a stop to by the animal in question, and that no one dared to go into that part of the forest in which he took up his quarters. I replied, that in elephantshooting I had acquired but little practical experience, having at that time killed but one, an unfortunate wretch, about fifteen years old, who, either from stupidity or fright, would not get out of my way, and that I had brought him down with

Nepaul to the British territory. Many deer, eleven tigers, and seven rhinoceroses, fell to my battery, the two Nepaul chiefs having shown a most religious horror of coming in contact with the last-named formidable animals. The Indian rhinoceros is certainly an ugly customer, evincing a great dislike to being disturbed in his muddy bath. Upon being compelled to move, he at once makes off to another swamp, and, if interfered with on his way, he invariably shows fight, and is not then to be despised; for when he once takes up a position, he will dispute it to the last with the most determined ferocity, neither giving nor receiving quarter. I was much amused, after killing my fifth rhinoceros, by being waited upon by the two chiefs in the afternoon, and after the usual compliments, informed by them that they had received orders from the Durbar, to the effect, that the court was surprised, from their own sporting qualifications, that they should allow an Englishman, in their own country, to kill so many rhinoceroses, without their having destroyed one; and, that if they were either unwilling to attempt, or incapable of achieving, such an enterprise, they were immediately to return, to be replaced by other chiefs, who would be more careful not to disgrace themselves as they had done. My chiefs were evidently in a great state of alarm, so I told them, if they

my offers, but earnestly implored me to save their hoormut (honor). To this I acceded, and the next day intelligence was brought that there were four rhinoceroses within a mile of us. At their own request, I lent each of the chiefs one of my guns, as they had a firm impression that they were endowed with some kind of jadoo (witchcraft). We soon arrived at the head-quarters of the ghindahs. They were rolling in the mud, in the midst of a heavy swamp; and, finding themselves disturbed in the midst of their luxurious ablutions, they, as usual, got up, and made for another bath. I immediately intercepted them, and provoked two of the party to hostilities, when down they came to the charge. The brute that rushed at me I killed within six yards of the elephant Megreath, on which I was mounted, and which stood to the

at stake, and without some such finale, they dare not show their faces at court again. I much doubted all these protestations, but thinking they might possibly be seriously anxious to retrieve the disgrace which fell upon them in the rhinoceros affair, I felt disposed to place confidence in them, and agreed to their proposal. They then informed me, they had been favored with a private and confidential communication from their deity, "Goruck," who had signified his gracious intention of supporting us, and would even condescend to protect an unbelieving Feringee upon such an occasion. I thanked them for Goruck's very kind intentions, but inwardly trusted with much greater confidence to a good ounce of lead well planted. The morning dawned splendidly; we were all in excellent spirits, and the two chiefs, in appear

ceros in the only vital part, just under the foot of the ear, which is not easily accomplished. The other animal selected my friend Sirdar Delhi Sing's elephant, which immediately turned tail and bolted, but the rhinoceros was too quick for him, came up to the elephant in a few strides, and with his tusks cut the fugitive so severely on the stern -nearly severing his tail-that he attempted to lie down under the pain. But the rhinoceros was again too quick for him, and bringing his horn into play, he introduced it under the elephant's flank; the horn tightened the skin, and then with his two frightful tusks he cut the poor animal so severely, that his entrails came rolling about his legs, as he fell, undergoing the dreadful assaults of his antagonist. The Sirdar now threw himself out of the howdah, and scrambled up a tree, (which was close at hand,) like a galvanized monkey. The other Sirdar was going across country, at Melton pace, on his elephant. Having disposed of my rhinoceros, I pushed up to the rescue, fearing, indeed, the Sirdar had been killed. On approaching within twenty yards, the rhinoceros relinquished the fallen elephant, and turned to have a charge at me. I brought him on his knees the first shot, but he recovered, and fought me valiantly; and, in consequence of my elephant being a little unsteady, it was not until the fifth shot that

were examining our guns and carefully arranging our ammunition, the savage Shikar Bassa elephant was marked down, having been discovered in his usual retreat. In order if possible to render Mr. Deity Goruck more wrathful, he had only the day before destroyed a Brahmin for firing a matchlock ball into his elephant's side; the Brahmin having been provoked to do so, by the elephant destroying and eating up two fields of rice for his own private amusement. I saw the poor priest's mangled remains close to his hut; not a vestige of humanity remained; so frightfully had the brute trampled on and kneaded his body that not a bone escaped uncrushed; legs, arms, and carcass, could only be compared to some disgusting, indescribable mass, well pounded and furnished with a skin covering. This exhibition excited my anger, and I vowed the destruction of the destroyer.

Of the birth and parentage of this famous outlawed wild elephant, for so many years the dread and terror of all the Nepaul elephant catchers, I know little; but if a tenth part of the accusations bestowed by the Nepaulese upon his ancestors be true, he must have been a very low caste fellowa compound of flatulent fowls and home-fed pigs. However, it is certain he was a most powerful, well-grown beast, beautifully formed, head well set on and erect; and would have been alto

phant lived about two hours, and died in endeavoring to rise. I should at once have put it out of its misery, had the mahout not assured me, that if he could be got to the tents he should be able to recover it. From this account, it will be seen that the rhinoceros is armed with much more formidable tusks than the boar. These are the weapons he brings into such deadly operation, and not the horn, as many persons are led to believe. Upon the day following this last event, whether out of revenge, or from an anxious desire to stand well with their sovereign, the two chiefs courageously proposed that we should go at once to destroy the Shikar Bassa, or famous wild elephant.

persuaded to present himself at court, and conduct himself properly. But he disdained such honors; he chose to remain lord paramount of the forest, and defied all comers to dispute it with him. He was supposed by the best judges to have been fifty years old, though triple that age in iniquity, and having set two generations of Nepaulese at defiance, indulged himself in the recreation of destroying any one who was fool enough to venture within his beat. Upon our arrival at a small deserted village within three miles of the monster's headquarters, our camp having been pitched, I was visited by the two Sirdars, accompanied by several villagers, who furnished me with most terrific accounts of his ferocity; and finding I was not easily alarmed, they evidently became so on my account, and endeavored by every possible argument to dissuade me from the encounter. I observed that their arguments were useless; after coming so far to see the monster, I should not think of returning until I had made his acquaintance. I then appealed to them as chiefs and sportsmen, inhabitants of a nation notorious for its bravery, whether it would not be considered most disgraceful cowardice to retire now, without even firing a shot? This appeal had the desired effect, and they then agreed, saying, "We can but die once, and if our respective time for doing so has arrived, we had better submit to it with honor." I gave them to understand that I did not at all approve of the dying part of their address, as I had no great personal aversion to life; but on the contrary, I felt confident, that well armed as we were, and supporting one another, we might, and ought to, conquer the monster. They then tried a pathetic allusion to their wives and families, to which I rejoined, that I had no such incumbrances, and should matters come to the worst, a few yards of black crape would be no very heavy tax to a brace of anxious brothers in England. Finding further persuasions of no avail, they requested I would write a few lines to the resident, to state that they had said and done all in their power to deter me from my purpose, which I promised. I had in my establishment some old and well-tried Shikarees, (beaters,) men often tried, who had witnessed some startling occurrences during our inter

stroy him. After a long consultation, it was de cided that the operations should be commenced by the two famous tame male elephants employed in the taking expeditions. They were the finest animals of the kind I have ever seen, both being ten feet and a half at the shoulder, and in the highest condition. Their respective names were "Arang Bahadoor," and "Motee Persaud," the latter with only one tusk, but in other respects a most powerful elephant, and noted for his courage.

These elephants were so highly prized, that I pledged my word to the chiefs, that if either of them should get worsted in the attack, I would go to their rescue, and attack the wild elephant myself. This quieted their fears, at least so far as the animals were concerned.

At eight o'clock in the morning of the 7th of March, 1844, we started from the tents, and at the expiration of an hour, we arrived at the place where this monster was to be found. Never shall I forget the scene! Upon our coming within a few yards of his position, Motee Persaud was leading, when out rushed the wild elephant with a terrific whistle, and immediately commenced a furious attack upon Motee. The meeting of these two mountains of flesh was really grand. Motee stood the shock well, but in ten minutes, it was quite evident the wild one was master; they crossed their tusks, and pushed at each other like infuriated rams. Upon Motee giving way a general shout was raised by some three hundred voices. I immediately got off my elephant, followed by my

mer had never dismounted) with Motee Persaud at their heels, and after going about two miles at a rattling pace. Motee was secured with some difficulty and fastened to a tree. I now determined upon attacking the brute on foot, Jack and my other attendants standing by me, though much disappointed that I had not joined in the general flight. The enemy soon showed symptoms of the humor he was in by tearing down branches of the trees, and dashing them in all directions; many of them were thicker than my body. Shortly afterwards about twenty tame buffaloes, which were grazing in the neighborhood, and probably disturbed

and speak a most unintelligible patois. Their appearance is of the wildest description, with hardly a vestige of clothing upon their bodies, and their long black hair plaited down to their waist; but when in pursuit of their avocations, they roll it round their heads like a turban, and with a black blanket, and their bodies well greased, their toilet is made. These men, accustomed to almost daily encounters with wild elephants, have little

the plain near the monster's position. I saw him issuing from the forest, and in an instant he trampled one of the buffaloes to death, crushing every bone in his body; he then lifted another off the ground with the greatest ease, driving his tusks through and through him, and throwing the carcass to some distance, quite dead. He once more retreated to his cover, and in a few minutes I advanced to the attack. When within a hundred