355 



CHAP. V. 



THE CAPTIVES. 



Foe upwards of an liour tlie clepliants continued to tra- 

 verse the corral and assail the pahsade with unabated 

 energy, trumpeting and screaming with rage after each 

 disappointment. Again and again they attempted to force 

 the gate, as if aware, by experience, that it ought to 

 afford an exit as it liad ah'eady served as an entrance, 

 but they slirunk back stunned and bewildered. By de- 

 grees their efforts became less and less frequent. Single 

 ones rushed about here and there returning sullenly to 

 their companions, and at last the whole lierd, stupified 

 and exhausted, formed themselves into a single group, 

 drawn up in a circle with the young in tlie centre, and 

 stood motionless under the dark shade of the trees in tlie 

 middle of the corral. 



Preparations were now made to keep watch diu'ing 

 the night, the guard was reinforced around the enclosure, 

 and wood heaped on the fires to keep up a high flame 

 tiU sunrise. 



Three herds had been originally entrapped by tlie 

 beaters outside ; but witli chai'acteristic instinct they had 

 kept clear of each other, talving up different stations in 

 tlie space invested by the watchers. Wlien the final drive 

 took place one herd only had entered, the other two 

 keeping behind ; and as the gate had to be instantly closed 

 on the first division, the last were unavoidably shut out 

 and remained still concealed in the jungle. To prevent 

 their escape, the watches were ordered to their former 



A A 2 



