58 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
Leaving the two females in the rear, with in¬ 
structions to follow upon a given signal, Mr. San¬ 
derson on Moota Gutche advanced slowly to the 
encounter. The rogue elephant did not appear to 
notice them until within about 200 yards ; it then 
suddenly halted, and turning round, it faced them 
as though in astonishment at being disturbed. This 
attitude did not last very long, as Moota Gutche 
still advanced until within ninety or a hundred paces. 
The elephants now faced each other, and Moota 
Gutche began to lower his head when he observed 
his antagonist backing a few paces, which he well 
knew was the customary preparation for a charge. 
“ Reculez pour mieux sauter ” was well exemplified 
when in another moment the vagrant elephant 
dashed forward at great speed to the attack, 
trumpeting and screaming with mad fury. In the 
meantime Moota Gutche coolly advanced at a 
moderate pace. The shock of the encounter was 
tremendous. The spear flew out of the rider’s 
hands with the collision, but Moota Gutche was a 
trained fighter, and having lowered his head, which 
had for the moment exposed his mahout, he quickly 
caught his opponent under the throat with its neck 
between his tusks, and then bearing upwards, he 
forced the head of his adversary high in the air ; 
now driving forwards with all his strength, he hurled 
the other backwards, and with a dexterous twist he 
threw it upon its side and pinned it to the ground. 
In an instant Mr. Sanderson slipped off and 
secured the hind legs with a strong rope. The two 
