72 



Wild Beasts 



From this time forth Roghanath Guj was picketed by 

 himself. 



"Two days after," says Barras, "we arrived at a small 

 village," — Mehra, — "and close to it there were some 

 enormous Banyan trees, under which the elephants were 

 secured. Opposite to them, on the other side of a small 

 clearing, stood our little camp. Here, after a long and 

 unsuccessful day's beating after a wary tiger, we enjoyed 

 our late dinner, and had just sought our couches, clad for 

 the night in our light sleeping-suits, when a burst of 

 affrighted cries broke upon our cars. The tumult pro- 

 ceeded from the direction of the great tree where Rog- 

 hanath Guj stood in solitude. 



" We instantly rushed for our guns, and seized a hurri- 

 cane lamp. We made all haste in our slippered feet to 

 the scene of action. As we got within twenty yards of the 

 elephant, Ghassee Ram (his driver) called to us to halt. 

 The animal, he said, was obeying him, and if nothing 

 further incensed him, he would be able to tie up his hind 

 legs with a rope, when he would be incapable (the fore- 

 limbs being already chained) of doing any more mischief. 

 So we stood where we were, and waited in great anxiety, 

 whilst we could hear the mahout uttering the word Sd7n- 

 Som, which is the order for an elephant to keep his hind 

 quarters towards any one who may be washing, or other- 

 wise attending to him. The night was as dark as pitch ; 

 nothing could be seen. According to the different cries of 

 the excited people, however, it was clear that something 

 had happened to the under-keeper of Roghanath Guj. 

 Some said he was dead, some that he had escaped from his 



