50 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



tell how far off the wounded brute was. The 

 excitement was intense. The rustle of a falling 

 leaf would set our hearts pit-a-pat. The nervous 

 strain was too great, and I began to feel quite sick. 

 The trail now entered a cart-track through the 

 forest, so that we could see twenty paces or so 

 ahead. Now we were approaching the river, for 

 we could hear the murmuring of the water some 

 two or three hundred yards ahead. The bamboo 

 clumps grew thicker on either side. The leading 

 Kuramba was just indicating that the trail led off 

 to the right, when a terrific trumpet directly 

 behind us made us start round, and a ghastly 

 sight met our view. The elephant had evidently 

 scented us long before we appeared in view, and 

 had left the cart-track and, making a slight detour 

 to the right, had gone back a little way and con- 

 cealed itself behind some bamboo clumps near 

 the track. It had quietly allowed us to pass, and 

 then, uttering a shrill scream, charged on the rear. 

 Seizing Suliman in its trunk, it had lifted him 

 aloft prior to dashing him to the ground, when we 

 turned. K was standing in the path, about 

 ten paces from the elephant, with his gun levelled 

 at the brute. " Fire, K , fire ! ' we shouted, 

 but it was too late. Down came the trunk, and 

 the body of poor Suliman, hurled with terrific 

 force, was dashed on the ground with a sickening 

 thud, which told us he was beyond help. As the 

 trunk was coming down K - fired. In a moment 

 the enraged brute was on him. We heard a second 

 shot, and then saw poor K- - and his gun flying 



