124 The Life of an Rlephant 



pursued ran for their lives, overcoming obstacles 

 which ordinarily would have been deemed in- 

 surmountable, hurling themselves down the 

 steepest slopes, but always refusing to ascend 

 towards the higher hills, so that the direction 

 of flight was towards the main river and to 

 the standing camp. As each wild elephant 

 was run to a standstill, the men attempted to 

 pass the running noose over its neck, but only 

 after many failures could this be accomplished ; 

 always there was a ready trunk to divert the 

 impending danger, or to throw off the rope 

 when it had reached its mark. Often, after a 

 duel of this kind, the hunted one recovered 

 its wind and the wild chase recommenced, 

 hampered this time by a trailing length of rope, 

 which had to be re-coiled while rushing through 

 the jungle. At last, however, the fatal noose 

 would be jerked tight, and then the captive 

 would strain against it, dragging his captor 

 through the forest till suffocated by his own 

 exertions, and thus again brought to a standstill. 

 Then commenced the hurried task of loosen- 

 ing the slip-knot so that strangulation should 



