HUMAN TREE-DWELLERS 113 



on the trying trails we encountered all through the 

 valleys and up and down the mountains. I was 

 greatly interested, often amused, at the extreme 

 carefulness they exercised. Where the path was 

 at all uncertain the trunk explored every step 

 before the huge feet were placed, with almost 

 mathematical precision. And never for an instant 

 was their vigilance relaxed; always the trunk felt 

 the way, sounding the road, the bridge, the depth 

 of the pool or stream. But perhaps their climbing 

 up steep ascents, and over ground so slippery that 

 I, with hobnailed shoes, could scarcely secure foot- 

 hold, impressed me most. One instance of their 

 resourcefulness especially surprised me. We 

 came to a sharp, clayey incline, at the top of which 

 the bank had broken away, leaving an absolutely 

 sheer place about eight feet in height. I won- 

 dered how the elephants would manage this, but 

 it did not bother them as much as it had me, for 

 the leader simply put his trunk over the top of 

 the bank, raised himself up until he got his fore- 

 feet on top of it, and then with trunk and forelegs 

 dragged his great body over the edge until his hind 

 legs were under him. 



The elephant is not a fast traveller, though he 

 is sure and of enormous strength. I never saw 

 one slip, and they kept going even when sunk belly 

 deep in the swamp. Three miles the hour was 



8 



