38 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



in the air, as helpless as an overturned beetle. The 

 fond parent, seeing his predicament, was obliged 

 to return and support him until he could regain his 

 feet. 



The glorious sunshine of the morning was not to 

 last. Toward noon the clouds rolled up, and soon it 

 was pouring in tropical torrents ; frequently we had 

 to ford rivers up to our waists in water, while the 

 road, from the mud and pools, became almost im- 

 passable. As my feet had become sore from the 

 gravel which chafed in my shoes at every step, I 

 mounted an elephant, and for five hours endured 

 the uncomfortable swaying motion and the chill of 

 the drenching rain; the others kept on, however, 

 until at nightfall pitch-darkness found them alone 

 in the jungle, some miles ahead of the elephants. In 

 attempting to ford a river they got in up to their 

 necks, and only with the greatest difficulty managed 

 to escape being swept away by the now much- 

 swollen current. The outlook was serious, as it was 

 a question whether the elephants would be able to 

 keep to the road in the darkness. Meanwhile my 

 gajah had been lumbering along, while the driver 

 belabored him continually on the head with his 

 stick, and now and then gave him a prod with the 

 ankus, all the while addressing him in a comical 

 reproving voice as one talks to a young child. After 



