At the head of the procession marched a large bull elephant, which I discovered afterwards was an ill-tempered brute that had already killed a man and should never have been allowed upon the roads.

The sight of the pony cart, or perhaps a red cloak which my wife was wearing, as she always liked bright colours, for some unknown reason seems to have infuriated this beast, which trumpeted.

The pony becoming frightened wheeled round and overturned the cart right in front of the animal, but apparently without hurting anybody.

Then"-- here he paused a moment and with an effort continued--"that devil in beast's shape cocked its ears, stretched out its long trunk, dragged the baby from the nurse's arms, whirled it round and threw it high into the air, to fall crushed upon the kerb.

It sniffed at the body of the child, feeling it over with the tip of its trunk, as though to make sure that it was dead.