194 THE ELEPHANT. 



marriage bell," but unfortunately, about nine o'clock, 

 it began to rain heavily, accompanied with a strong 

 wind. All who were under canvas made it out pretty 

 well, but those who had to rough it, with mother 

 earth for a bed and little beside the canopy of heaven 

 for a blanket, had a hard time of it. Some crept 

 under the waggons, in the hope of finding that 

 shelter which they sought in vain, while others sat 

 cowering over the fires, shivering from the cold and 

 wishing for daylight, with nothing but a blanket or an 

 extra coat thrown over their shoulders to protect them 

 from the pelting storm. The poor horses, too, suffered 

 a good deal, for they were tied up at sunset in the 

 open air, and with but a very scanty allowance of 

 forage to appease their hunger. But a stormy night, 

 like every other trouble, must come to an end at last, 

 and at the very first peep of early dawn the camp 

 was astir. All were in good spirits, notwithstanding 

 the discomfort many of us had undergone; but the 

 rain still continued at intervals, and therefore it was 

 past noon before the horses were saddled and we made 

 a start. After riding for more than an hour along 

 a high ridge, one of the scouts came up to say that 

 eleven elephants were grazing in the valley at a short 

 distance, and on advancing a little farther we saw them 

 very distinctly. A messenger was now sent back to 

 the Governor, who was a considerable way behind, to 



