But now came the very gallant but foolish part of the hunt.

Instead of leading the elephant by the flight of one man and horse, according to their usual method, all the aggageers at the same moment sprang from their saddles, and upon foot in the heavy sand they attacked the elephant with their swords.
In the way of sport I never saw anything so magnificent or so absurdly dangerous.

No gladiatorial exhibition in the Roman arena could have surpassed this fight.

The elephant was mad with rage, and nevertheless he seemed to know that the object of the hunters was to get behind him.
This he avoided with great dexterity, turning as it were upon a pivot with extreme quickness, and charging headlong, first at one and then at another of his assailants, while he blew clouds of sand in the air with his trunk, and screamed with fury.

Nimble as monkeys, nevertheless the aggageers could not get behind him.