;j54 



THE ELEPHANT. 



[Part VTII. 



they attempted to force the stockade, but were driven 

 back by the guards with spears and flambeaux ; and on 

 Avhichever side they approached they were repulsed with 

 shouts and discliarges of musketry. Collecting into one 

 group, they would pause for a moment in apparent be- 

 wilderment, then burst off in another direction as if it had 

 suddenly occurred to them to try some point which they 

 had before overlooked ; but again baflled, they slowly 

 returned to their forlorn resting-place in the centre of 

 the corral. 



The interest of this strange scene was not confined to 

 the spectators ; it extended to the tame elephants which 

 were stationed outside. At the first approach of the 

 flying herd they evinced the utmost interest in the scene. 

 Two in particular which were picketed near the front 

 were intensely excited, and continued tossing their heads, 

 pawing the ground, and starting as the noise drew near. 

 At length when the grand rush into the corral took place, 

 one of them fairly burst from her fastenings and started 

 olF towards the herd, leveUing a tree of considerable size 

 whicli obstructed her passage.^ 



' The otlier elephant, a fine tusker, 

 which belonged to Dehigam Rate- 

 Mahatmeya, continued in extreme 

 excitement throughout all the sub- 

 sequent operations of the capture, 

 and at last, after attempting to 

 break his way into the corral, shak- 

 ing the bars with his forehead and 

 tusks, he went otF in a state of frenzy 

 into the jungle. The Aratchy went 



in search of him a few days after 

 with a female decoy, and waiting his 

 approach, he sprang fairly on the 

 infm'iated beast, with a pair of sharp 

 hooks in his hands, whicli he pressed 

 into tender parts in front of tlie 

 shoulder, and held him firmly till 

 chains were passed over his legs, aiul 

 he permitted himself to be led ciuictly 

 away. 



