BEING LOST IN THE FOREST. 37 
expect nothing less than encounters with them. 
And so it was, that at this moment a lordly 
elephant stood full in his way, listlessly 
flapping his ears and swinging his trunk, as 
they always do when they stand still, to drive' 
away the flies. 
The elephants lead a very pleasant life 
in these great forests, bathing in the rivers 
that meander through them, or rolling their 
gigantic bodies on the luxuriant grass. The 
young tender branches aff'ord them a constant 
supply of food, and they can tear them down 
with their trunks from the loftiest trees. The 
other animals treat the elephant with respect, 
on account of his superior size. Even the tiger 
does not care to attack him ; for, if he did, he 
would be received upon his tusks, and tossed 
into the air. The female elephant has no tusks, 
and cannot toss her enemy ; but, what is quite 
as fatal, she has a habit of throwing herself upon 
him, and stamping him to death with her feet. 
Man is the most powerful foe the elephant 
has to dread. He kindles a flre, and the 
huge animal is struck with terror at the mys- 
terious light, that blazes amongst the trees, 
and flies before it, trampling down everything 
