162 ATTACK UPON MY TENT. 



the guard and lire between my tent and the next, instead of between me 

 and the jungle. 



I seemed to have slept for a long time when I was awakened by the cor- 

 ner of the tent nearest the jungle, and just above my head, being gently 

 shaken. The tent was single-poled, twelve feet square, and secured by 

 numerous ropes all round. I thought of the rogue instantly, and was out 

 of bed in a twinlding, not even waiting to untuck the mosquito-netting 

 which I always use as a precaution against malaria as much as against 

 troublesome insects ; I made a considerable rent in it in my haste. The 

 faculty of becoming thorouglily awake, physically and mentally, at a 

 moment's notice, is one acquired by persons accustomed, as dwellers in 

 tents in Indian jungles frequently are, to occasions requiring its exercise ; 

 and as I sleep lightly, the motion of the tent, though very slight, instantly 

 aroused me. Now that I was on my feet, rifle in hand, my first impulse 

 was to shout ; but imagining it might be some of the men outside who had 

 touched the ropes, and that a hullabaloo inside would be rather ridiculous 

 if that were the case, I hesitated. At this moment the tent shook again, 

 very gently. I peeped through the door on the opposite side, where the 

 guard was. The old story ! All still ; the fire reduced to a few smoulder- 

 ing embers — the men lying in a row near it, like corpses in their winding- 

 sheets, stark and still ! Eadhapeary was round the tent to my right, but 

 I could not hear her moving. Just then the same gentle twang of the 

 tent-rope in the corner over my bed shook the canvas, and I heard an 

 elephant breathe. I now thought it must be Radhapeary who had got 

 loose, and in moving about was touching the ropes. I could hardly imagine 

 that a wild elephant could be so near me, but I still hesitated to shout, 

 believing that if it were a wild visitor I might only provoke an attack. 

 However, as I heard nothing more for a minute or two, I called Radhapeary 

 gently by name, and was just going to open the door and look out cautiously, 

 when there was one ponderous step forward, a tremendous smash, cracking 

 of ropes, and tearing of canvas, and the whole end of the tent was driven 

 in upon my bed. I knew who it was now, and shouted at the brute at 

 the top of my voice. I would have given him both barrels through the 

 tent could I have seen how he was standing, but his tusks had only come 

 through the upper fly, the inner one being pulled down by his foot placed 

 upon the side-wall of the tent to which it was attached, so I could see 

 nothing of him. I expected to see his tusks or head through the tent in 

 another instant, and reserved my fire. I was under no apprehension for 

 my own safety. The other door was at my back, and the steep river-bank 

 just beyond, down which I could have jumped if necessary, and no elephant 



