360 A Sportswoman in India 



more or less complete, and defence against possible 

 attack from the herd inside was now the principal 

 anxiety. 



It is hard to depict the scene throughout that night. 

 Few slept ; the silent jungle was waked again by 

 the shouts of the excited watchers ; the glare of the 

 bonfires played upon the great tree trunks, making 

 the impenetrable shadows yet more gloomy ; the 

 tawny flames, crackling, and shooting up to the stars, 

 lit up the black figures hurrying hither and thither, 

 and accentuated their wild gesticulations. 



In the background more watchers were waving 

 flaring torches and uttering weird cries ; while inside 

 this brilliant fringe of flame and glare and action, deep 

 in the heart of the black centre, the dense jungle was 

 resonant with the trumpeting of the giants of the 

 forests. 



At one thrilling moment a tusker appeared, a huge 

 form loomed through the gloom and charged straight 

 at the stockade. Long before he reached it, he was 

 met by a tumult of cries and showers of missiles and 

 fire-brands ; his gleaming tusks and his height, exagger- 

 ated in the fitful glare, was the climax of a never-to- 

 be-forgotten scene. He turned and disappeared once 

 more into the shadow. 



Those who were not actually useful went round the 

 circle carrying cheroots to the indefatigable watchers. 

 Bed was the last thing to be thought of; and the night 

 passed rapidly. Two other elephants threatened the 

 stockade on the opposite side, and their thunderous 



