William Makepeace Thackeray's The Tremendous Adventures of Major Gahagan (1838) is a satirical novel about Anglo-Indian culture and life. The main character and narrator, Major Gahagan, is serving in India with the British Army. The story tells his adventures and portrays the various battles in which he single-handedly fights against entire armies of rampaging natives and defeats, even killing one hundred and thirty four elephants with a single shot.

As soon as I entered the tents a host of menials sprang forward, some to ease me of my armour, some to offer me refreshments, some with hookahs, attar of roses (in great quart bottles), and the thousand delicacies of Eastern life. I motioned them away. "I will wear my armour," said I; "I shall go forth to-night. Carry my duty to the princess, and say I grieve that to-night I have not the time to see her.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1883.