Chap. VI. j 



THE ELEPHANT. 



199 



the representation made by some of the " sportsmen " 

 who harass them, that they are treacherous, savage, and 

 revengeful ; when tormented by the guns of their per- 

 secutors, they, no doubt, display their powers and 

 sagacity in efforts to retaliate or escape ; but here their 

 every movement was indicative of innocence and timidity. 

 After a struggle, in which they evinced no disposition to 

 violence or revenge, they submitted with the calmness 

 of despair. Their attitudes were pitiable, their grief 

 was most touching, and their low moaning went to the 

 heart. We could not have borne to witness their dis- 

 tress had their capture been effected by the needless 

 infliction of pain, or had they been destined to ill-treat- 

 ment afterwards. 



It was now about two hours after noon, and the first 

 elephants that had entered the corral having been dis- 

 posed of, preparations were made to reopen the gate, and 

 drive in the other two herds, over which the watchers 

 were still keeping guard. The area of the enclosure was 

 cleared ; and silence was again imposed on the crowds 

 who surrounded the corral. The bars that secured the 

 entrance were withdrawn, and every precaution repeated 

 as before ; but as the space inside was now somewhat 

 trodden down, especially near the entrance, by the fre- 

 quent charges of the last herd, and as it was to be appre- 

 hended that the others might be earlier alarmed and 

 retrace their steps, before the barricades could be re- 

 placed, two tame ones were stationed inside to protect 

 the men to whom that duty was assigned. 



All preliminaries being at length completed, the 

 signal was given ; the beaters on the side most distant 

 from the corral closed in with tom-toms and discordant 

 noises ; a hedge-fire of musketry was kept up in the 



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