ELEPHANT FIGHT. 
147 
After a while the weakest elephant invariably gives 
way ; for, the moment these creatures become sensible 
of their inferiority, they seem at once to be aware 
that the chances of success are against them, and im- 
mediately relinquish the encounter. When this is 
the case, they usually turn, and make a sudden re- 
treat, pursued by the victor, which sometimes applies 
his tusks so forcibly to the rear of his retreating ad- 
versary as to leave indelible marks of his strength, 
and frequently to shake the mahoot from the net-work, 
to which he had clung during the contest. 
When the elephants are equally matched, they 
continue striking at each other’s heads, bringing their 
tusks into such violent contact as often snaps them 
close to the jaw; thus, in a manner, disabling the 
sufferer for the rest of its life, as the jaw generally 
becomes diseased after so severe a fracture, and in 
many cases to such an extent that it is found ne- 
cessary to destroy the animal. 
When the contest appears likely to terminate fa- 
tally, rockets are thrown between the competitors. 
Of these they have a great dread; nevertheless, in 
some instances, so implacable is their . fury, that the 
rockets fail to separate them ; in which case they are 
attacked in the rear with long spears by men on horse- 
back, who strike them so sharply that they turn upon 
their assailants, whom they pursue with all the rage 
of baffled determination, often putting the horses of 
their tormentors to their utmost speed ere the lat- 
ter can escape the threatened vengeance of their 
maddened pursuers. The female is now withdrawn, 
and the object of excitement being no longer in view, 
