72 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
single further glance at the fruit, as if her pride was 
hurt at the base suspicions of her tormentors,, but 
turned towards them a look which bespoke her firm 
resolve at once to resent any attempts to withdraw 
her from her duty, and to vindicate her own integrity. 
They tried every possible method to effect their pur- 
pose in vain ; the vigilant guardian was as incorrupti- 
ble as she was immoveable, standing over her uncon- 
scious charge, and frowning fierce defiance upon those 
who had so unjustly wronged the nobleness of her 
nature by a degrading suspicion. They understood 
her angry rebuke, and retreated. The mahoot at 
length returned, when the noble animal took the in- 
fant in her trunk, and placing it gently in the father’s 
arms, with a flourish of her proboscis, which indicated 
a consciousness that she had faithfully performed her 
painful duty, turned towards the officers, and direct- 
ing upon them a look of complacent forgiveness, re- 
ceived the fruit from their hands with the most evi- 
dent tokens of gratification, and seemed perfectly well 
satisfied, not only that she had diligently discharged 
her trust, but that the object of that trust was no 
longer a bar to her indulgence in the offered luxuries. 
This same elephant made her escape not long after, 
and the mahoot was discharged for his carelessness. 
Every search was made in vain ; she could nowhere 
be found. Full two years had elapsed, as I have since 
heard, when, during an elephant-hunt in the forests 
of Dindigul, the quondam keeper, making one of the 
party, recognized the runaway in a herd, with a 
young one by her side. He went fearlessly up to 
her, addressing her in his customary words of endear- 
