As there were thirty-seven animals in all, the rest of the party were much scattered.

I thought there were too many elephants for our six howdahs, but it turned out that I was mistaken, for we had capital sport.

The magistrate of Pegnugger, who knew the country thoroughly, was made the despot of the day.

His orders were obeyed unquestioningly and unconditionally, and we halted in long line or marched onwards, forcing a passage through every obstacle, at his word.

We might have been out a couple of hours, watching every patch of jungle and blade of long rank grass for a sight of the striped skin, writhing through the reeds, that we so longed to see, when the quick, short crack of a rifle away to the right brought us to a halt, and every one drew a long breath and turned, gun in hand, in the direction whence the sound had come.