"THE EXPLOITS OF THE BUDMASH" 



night, but the clanking of the chain, heard from time to 

 time, kept the watchers at their posts, ready to stoke up 

 the fires at once, should the beast return. This long and 

 trying vigil was shared by all alike, for, as in all such 

 dangerous situations, no one cared to sleep and entrust 

 his safety to another. Hence every ear was strained to 

 catch the dreaded sound which while the forerunner of 

 their peril was yet their only safeguard, owing to the 

 intense darkness of the night. 



Thus the weary hours dragged on, each seeming longer 

 than the last, till, just as dawn was breaking, two wood- 

 cutters came running to the camp, shouting excitedly 

 that the elephant was about the attack their village, and 

 begging that the sahibs would come to their assistance. 

 This was very serious news, as the village in question 

 was a mere cluster of grass and bamboo huts, affording no 

 protection against such an attack, and, moreover, con- 

 tained many women and children. 



In these circumstances some immediate action was 

 obviously necessary, though what should be done was 

 difficult to determine. However, after a hasty con- 

 sultation with the mahouts, it was decided that two of 

 us, on our ponies, should gallop to the village and try to 

 scare the beast away, then, if possible, drive it to the 

 elephant encampment, where, now that it was daylight, 

 another attempt might be made to capture it. 



No time was lost in putting this plan into execution, 

 and on arrival at the village the animal was discovered 

 standing in the middle of a " paddy " crop, part of which 

 it had demolished in the night. It was now seemingly 

 contemplating the ruin it had wrought ; but the rustling 

 made by the ponies pushing through the paddy soon aroused 

 it, and whisking suddenly round, it made as if about to 

 charge. This was a trying moment for the riders, who were 

 now completely at the mercy of the beast. Providentially 

 the extraordinary fear that all elephants have of horses 

 proved the stronger emotion, and turning round again, 

 the "Budmash" retreated through the paddy. 



The riders followed slowly till they had reached the 

 open, then, galloping on in front, they headed the beast 

 towards the camp, and after some difficult manoeuvring 



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