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 



N 



