IN VIEW. 197 



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 phandetes 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 khattas " (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 prostrate 

 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 diy 

 nurkul reeds the shrill trumpeting and snorting of the 

 elephants being mingled with the sharp ejaculations of en- 



