Chap. VI.] 



THE ELEPHANT. 



195 



The dam of the youngest was the second elephant 

 singled out by the noosers, and as she was dragged along 

 by the decoys, the little creature kept by her side till she 

 was drawn close to the fatal tree. The men at first were 

 rather amused than otherwise by its anger ; but they 

 found that it would not permit them to place the second 

 noose upon its mother ; it ran between her and them, it 

 tried to seize the rope, it pushed them and struck them 

 with its little trunk, till they were forced to drive it 

 back to the herd. It retreated slowly, shouting all the 

 way, and pausing at every step to look back. It then 

 attached itself to the largest female remaining in the 

 group, and placed itself across her forelegs, whilst she 

 hung down her trunk over its side and soothed and 

 caressed it. Here it continued moaning and lamenting, 

 till the noosers had left off securing its mother, when it 

 instantly returned to her side ; but as it became trouble- 

 some again, attacking every one who passed, it was at last 

 tied up by a rope to an adjoining tree, to which the 

 other young one was also tied. The second little one, 

 equally with its playmate, exhibited great affection for 

 its dam ; it went willingly with its captor as far as the 

 tree to which she was fastened, and in passing her 

 stretched out its trunk and tried to rejoin her; but 

 finding itself forced along, it caught at every twig and 

 branch within its reach, and screamed with grief and 

 disappointment. 



These two little creatures were the most vociferous of 

 the whole herd, their shouts were incessant, they 

 struggled to attack every one within reach ; and as their 

 bodies were more lithe and pliant than those of greater 

 growth, their contortions were quite wonderful. The 

 most amusing thing was, that in the midst of all their 



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