Early Experiences 39 



rough ropes were slackened from his neck, and 

 he was left in peace to recover his nerve and 

 temper during the hours of darkness. 



Meanwhile the herd of elephants, and with 

 them the young calf and his mother, disturbed 

 by the intrusion of man, uneasy as if some 

 unknown danger had been near them, gathered 

 together for safety ; the young sheltered behind 

 their bulkier companions, all testing the air to 

 learn from which side this danger threatened. 

 It was only gradually that their misgivings 

 were removed and that they recommenced 

 grazing, though still nervously. As night fell, 

 however, at some silent signal from an old and 

 experienced female, they set out on the march, 

 and in single file moved quietly away from 

 their recent halting place. The line was not 

 unbroken, for the calves frequently fell out ; 

 theirs was the difficult task of stepping between 

 the footmarks of the longer-paced adults, and 

 they were easily fatigued by the roughness of 

 the road. So that, while the mothers lingered 

 to encourage and assist their young, the main 

 herd gradually disappeared from view, not to 



