64 



The. Life of a7i Rlephaiit 



in which unreserved obedience was given to the 

 wisest : and amongst the forest tribes the 

 wisest is eenerallv of the weaker sex ; for 

 that sex, because of its weakness, becomes of 

 necessity the best quaHfied by nature to detect 

 a coming danger, and to devise means of escape. 

 The herd had been grazing in one part of 

 the country for some time ; food and water 

 were plentiful, and, though they more than 

 once started on the march to new ground, yet 

 they had somewhat listlessly given up the 

 attempt on finding human beings busy in their 

 path. In fact, though they did not know it, 

 they were surrounded by a w^icle circle of men, 

 whose endeavour was to keep them within 

 certain boundaries. The broad valley was shut 

 in by precipitous hills, through 

 which were only two easy 

 passages marking the inlet and 

 outflow of a stream, and these 

 passages were well guarded by 

 men armed with guns, 

 who, moreover, kept fires 

 blazing night and day. 



