REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



chit was handed to Mr. Slack by a constable, and on perusal 

 it showed that a MUST elephant was loose and moving up 

 towards the camp. The writer asked that a file of the brave 

 Manchester Tommies might be sent down to shoot the " huge 

 earth shaking beast" as Lord Macaulay so aptly termed the 

 awkward pachyderm. Then did that mighty pigsticker Willie 

 Dixon of Mullyah and Harry Abbott volunteer to accompany 

 the Collector to death or glory. So saying nothing to those 

 present, in case of creating a panic among the ladies, they 

 left the supper room and drove to the tents, meanwhile send- 

 ing across to the Manchester for arms and men. In the fastest 

 time on record they changed their dress suits for garments 

 more suitable for skirmishing, and on arrival at the regimental 

 tent found that that brave officer Captain Maxwell, known in 

 the Mess as The Invincible, on account of his prowess when 

 at school as a pudding swallower, had already started with a 

 dozen valiant sons of Mars for the scene of action, so lifting 

 into the carriage another fire-eater, the noble Vaughan, they 

 drove off, but first posted the ladies' pet, the incomparable Mr. 

 Stevenson, with six Tommies armed with loaded rifles, to 

 guard the road leading to the camp, and instructed him should 

 the enemy come that way, to fire all his ammunition and then 

 bolt and seek refuge under cover of the big Guzerati buffalo 

 cows, which were alongside the road. Away the warriors drove 

 to the elephant camp, whence the sound of mighty trumpetings 

 told that the monster was all there and bent on defying the 

 English Government and its sworn defenders. Then did hearts 

 beat high with martial ardour, and clasping each other's hands 

 the heroes swore to stand by one another, and not bolt if they 

 possibly could help it. Scarcely had they alighted from the 

 carriage when they came upon Captain Maxwell and his 

 company. That astute officer, evidently being of a frugal mind 

 and not wishing to sport good togs in the event of his being 

 caught and crushed out of shape by the enemy, had arrayed 



