JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 97 



up into the branches (he was as nimble as a cat, and 

 as strong as a lion). One foot higher I and he 

 would have been out of the elephant's reach ; but 

 before he had time to draw up his legs, the elephant 

 had got one of them firmly clenched in the coils of 

 his proboscis. Still Rogers pulled against him, think- 

 ing it better to have his leg wrenched from the 

 socket than to fall back bodily in the animal's power. 

 The struggle, however, did not last long, for, to 

 the delight of the pursued and the chagrin of the 

 pursuer, the Wellington boot that the former wore 

 slipped off, extricated the leg, and saved the life of 

 the wearer. (Heaven save us from such a boot-jack /) 



The dilemma, however, did not end here ; for the 

 elephant finding itself balked of its prey, after des- 

 troying the boot, took up its quarters beneath the 

 branches, and kept its expected victim in the tree 

 for twenty-four hours, when the tappal, or country 

 postman, happening to pass by, Rogers gave him 

 notice of his position, and on this being intimated to 

 the nearest village, the elephant was frightened away 

 by tom-toms, and yellings. 



Had this occurred in a deserted part of the jungle, 

 poor Rogers would indubitably have been starved to 

 death in the tree ! 



Having given the reader one escape out of 

 many, I may mention one anecdote to prove his 

 perfect confidence in himself against this forest 



