112 A DRIVE AT MIRZAPUR 



knows no fear even before the tiger. It some- 

 times occurs, during a drive, that a tiger or 

 panther will spring upon the old fellow, but 

 the fun is not all on their side, for they are 

 soon shaken off and the great feet of the 

 colossus trample them to powder. It is no 

 wonder that in India the elephant is looked 

 upon with almost superstitious reverence. 



The ease with which elephants carry heavy 

 trees, and the way in which they manage 

 them with their trunks is staggering. They 

 ford rushing rivers ; they swim magnificently ; 

 slowly but very surely they climb soft, slippery 

 river banks, up which a man can hardly 

 clamber. They fear but one thing, and that 

 is quicksand. The banks of the Indian rivers 

 are often bordered by moving sand-dunes. 

 These may be very dangerous for the elephant. 

 For if the heavy giant ventures his weight 

 on these sands, he is hopelessly lost. The 

 clever fellow knows this well, and it is a 

 difficult matter to get him to go anywhere in 

 the neighbourhood of these dangerous spots. 

 In his fear of sinking he tears everything 



