Captivity 67 



cartridges fired in their faces, with shouts and 

 with fire-brands. In the suddenness of this 

 attack, all courage and dignity vanished, and in 

 a disordered mass, with curled trunks and tails 

 raised high above their 

 backs, they fled, helter- 

 skelter down the hill, 

 and entering the valley, 

 once more found them- 

 selves with men behind, 

 and on each side, and with but one apparent 

 way of escape open to them. 



Along that way they proceeded, no longer 

 cautious of sudden danger, unnerved by their 

 terrifying experience, each eager to be foremost 

 in the flight, till the path narrowed, and they 

 discovered on each side of them not many yards 

 distant, rows of stout piles with interlaced tree 

 trunks, held together with climbers and ropes 

 of fibre, which told of the work of man, and 

 warned them of the loss of liberty or life. 

 They halted in indecision, and at that moment 

 pandemonium seemed to be again let loose 

 close behind them ; guns were fired, crackers 



