THE STORY OF THE RHINOCEROS. 



275 



elephant is a dangerous brute at the best of times, but at night, and in 

 herds, he tramples over everything, and feels more at home and free from 

 danger than in the day, apparently. 



But these elephants did not seem to be aware of my presence. They 

 were evidently excited about something else, and had not observed me, 

 asleep in the shadow of the peepul. 



They were rushing about in the open ground, most of those I could 

 see being females, as I knew by the absence of the tusks, and some sort 



INDIAN RHINOCEROS AFTER SHEDDING ITS HORN, 



of contest seemed to be going on among them. What it was, I could not 

 see at first. 



At last a chorus of trumpetings and vicious pig-like squeals broke out 

 from the center of the mioving mass, and I saw the female elephants scatter 

 right and left in dismay. 



Then I discerned a terrible conflict. A huge bull elephant rushed for- 

 ward, with his trunk curled up tightly behind the long formidable tusks 

 out of harm's way, striving to pierce a strange antagonist. 



A long, low, uncouth-looking beast, of some five feet in height at the 



