286 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



hension seized them that the crashing might be he 

 approaching. Their fears soon became certainties. The 

 crashing drew nearer and nearer ; then there was a 

 pause ; next the whole hut shook and trembled. The 

 elephant had arrived ; he had wound his trunk round 

 one of the trees, and was trying to uproot it. But 

 the tree proved too strong ; the elephant was unable 

 to tear it up, or ev^en to break it. He tried another 

 of the trees, with the same result, and then in succes- 

 sion the other two. But though the trees shook, and 

 the poles creaked, and the hut quivered, yet the trees 

 stood firm. The terror of the four men meanwhile 

 may be imagined. 



For a minute or so there was quiet. The men were 

 in hopes that the elephant was about to depart, when, 

 to their horror, they perceived coming through the 

 doorway something resembling a huge black snake. 

 It was the trunk of the elephant. He was evidently 

 aware of their presence, and was thus endeavouring 

 to seize them. The men fled precipitately, and forced 

 themselves into the two furthest corners ; and these, 

 to their inexpressible relief, the elephant could not 

 reach. He felt in the two nearer corners ; in one he 

 found nothing, in the other was the jar of water : this 

 he broke. Then with his trunk he swept the floor, 

 and discovered the pile of " chapatties " ; he lifted them 

 two or three at a time, conveyed them to his mouth, 

 ate them, and departed. 



These solitary elephants are chiefly those who have 

 been expelled their herd. Each herd of elephants is 

 led and commanded by the strongest male elephant, the 



