Chap. V.] 



THE CAPTIVES. 



359 



resistance, bellowing in terror, plunging on all sides, and 

 crushing the smaller timber, which bent hke reeds beneath 

 his clumsy struggles. Siribeddi drew him steadily after 

 her, and wound the rope round the proper tree, holding it 

 all the time at its full tension, and stepping cautiously 

 across it when, in order to give it a second turn, it was 

 necessary to pass between the tree and the elepliaiit. 

 With a coil round the stem, liowever, it was beyond her 

 strength to haul the prisoner close up, which was, never- 

 theless, necessary in order to make liim perfectly fast ; 



but the second tame one, percei\'ing the difficulty, re- 

 turned from the herd, confronted the struggling prisoner, 

 pushed him shoulder to shoulder, and head to head, and 

 forced him backwards, whilst at every step Siribedch 

 liauled in the slackened rope till she brouglit liim fairly 

 up to the foot of the tree, where he was made fast by tlie 

 cooroowe people. A second noose was then passed over 

 the other hind-leg, and secured like tlie first, botli k\i>-s 

 being afterwards hobbled together by ro])es madc^ from tlie 



A v 4 



