154 The Life of an Elephant 



in a vain effort to free his limbs. He seemed 

 for the first time in his life to be in an agony 

 of apprehension : at one moment to lose all 

 courage and lie quiescent, the next to be filled 

 with a fury which led to speedy exhaustion. 

 Meanwhile he sank deeper and deeper, till 



only the top of his 

 back and head were 

 above water, while 



his trunk waved frantically to and fro seeking 

 for some hold, or for some object, living or 

 inanimate, that might aid him in his struggle. 

 While the elephant was in these extremities, 

 Kareem, aware that he ran the danger of 

 being seized and thrust under the body of 

 the frightened animal, at the risk of his life 

 slashed the girths of the harness and the 

 heavy grass-stuffed saddle fell loose, and 

 was immediately seized and disappeared, the 

 waving trunk seeming to implore for further 

 aid. Then in all haste, saplings, brushwood, 

 anything that could be collected, were thrown 

 to the elephant, and with such good effect that 

 at last there seemed to be no further fear from 



