Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1877-06-11)

If I had been well, it would have been saved, that's *certain*. I regret it very much, but could not have helped it, to have saved my own skin. The rest are saved in good order, having been dry before starting. The skin with the hair all coming off I have sold to a tanner here, together with another skin from a young [female] gaur too young for either skin or skel. (I kept the skulls of both).

I had planned a return trip to Muddi Mullai Forest especially for Elephants, immediately after this, but the fever has spoiled it all, and the Dr. tells me I must not go back there. While hunting there I one day saw *2 herds of elephants*, and stalked an old tusker to within *thirty feet*. There were 2 [male], 3 [female], adult, and 2 young ones in the herd. I at one time was within fifteen yards of the entire herd., the elephants feeding quietly in a semicircle round me. Oh! What a temptation! What an *aggravation*! I had no license to kill an elephant, and the fine is Ro 250 for each one. How *easily* I could