Chap. V.] 
THE ELEPHANT. 
177 
lowed by a discharge of musketry. This was the signal 
for the renewed assault, and the hunters entered the 
circle with shouts and clamour ; dry leaves and sticks 
were flung upon the watch-fires till they blazed aloft, 
and formed a line of flame on every side, except in the 
direction of the corral, which was studiously kept 
dark ; and thither the terrified elephants betook them- 
selves, followed by the yells and racket of their pur- 
suers. 
The elephants approached at a rapid pace, trampling 
down the brushwood and crushing the dry branches ; 
the leader emerged in front of the corral, paused for an 
instant, stared wildly round, and then rushed headlong 
through the open gate, followed by the rest of the herd. 
Instantly, as if by magic, the entire circuit of the corral, 
which up to this moment had been kept in profound 
darkness, blazed with thousands of lights, every hunter 
on the instant that the elephants entered, rushing for- 
ward to the stockade with a torch kindled at the nearest 
watch-fire. 
The elephants first dashed to the very extremity of 
the enclosure, and being brought up by the fence, re- 
treated to regain the gate, but found it closed. Their 
terror was sublime : they hurried round the corral at a 
rapid pace, but saw it now girt by fire on every side ; 
they attempted to force the stockade, but were driven 
back by the guards with spears and flambeaux ; and on 
whichever side they approached they were repulsed with 
shouts and volleys of musketry. Collecting into one 
group, they would pause for a moment in apparent be- 
wilderment, then burst off in another direction, as if it 
had suddenly occurred to them to try some point which 
they had before overlooked ; but again baffled, they 
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