154 IN VIEW. 



However, we at length reached more level ground, where we 

 soon overhauled the wild herd, and a most exciting chase 

 now commenced. 



Immediately on viewing the animals, as some seven or 

 eight of various sizes broke away about twenty yards in 

 front from among some tall " nurkul " reeds, the phan- 

 detes shot ahead, balancing themselves, half standing, half 

 kneeling, on their little pads, with nooses held ready to 

 cast should they succeed in getting their elephants, which 

 were being hustled along at a most astonishing pace for 

 such unwieldy animals, alongside the wild ones. The 

 latter, now becoming alarmed, began to increase their speed, 

 though not even now to its full extent, from there being 

 amongst them one or two calves whose retreat their 

 mothers were anxiously endeavouring to cover, sometimes 

 shuffling along half sideways as they tried to look back at 

 their pursuers, who were gradually drawing nearer and 

 nearer. 



The wild excitement of the pursuit now reached its 

 highest pitch. Our elephants, in addition to being driven 

 half frantic from being urged along by the mahouts freely 

 using their iron goads, and by their assistant " char khat- 

 tas " (forage-cutters), who, as they clung on behind the 

 little pads with one hand, with the other pummelled the 

 poor animals most unmercifully in rear with short, heavy 

 wooden clubs studded with a few iron spikes, had also 

 become imbued with the general excitement, and had got 

 their blood fairly up as they dashed ahead regardless of 

 every obstacle. 



Onward we go, and still onward, scrambling over pros- 

 trate trunks of trees, through dense underwood, thorny 

 brakes, and tangled creepers, which snap like pack-threads 

 before our elephants. Now we are bowling along across an 

 open grassy glade, or rattling over the loose boulders in the 

 dry bed of a water-course. Again we charge headlong into 

 the forest, which resounds with the crashing of boughs and 



