about him, as a schoolboy would a piece of
whipcord. I felt alarmed. It seemed as though
our frail tenement must yield at the first touch
from the mighty on-coming mass of flesh, bone,
and muscle. Ladies shrieked and fainted by
the dozen : gentlemen scrambled over each
other towards the stairs, where a decidedly
downward tendency was exhibited. I would
have given a trifle, just then, to have taken
the seat occupied the day before by the Judge
or the Collector, high amongst the branches.
But in much less time than I take to relate
it, the furious animal, smarting under many
bullet wounds, had reached the verge of our
stand, heedless of the cracking of rifles,
whose leaden messengers flew round his head
and poured down his shoulders, harmless as
peas. One last crack, and down the monster
fell, close at our feet. That shot was the work
of a mere lad, the little son of a Kandian
Corale; who, coolly biding his time, had fired
his piece close at the creature's ear. Leaping
from his place, the urchin flung aside his
long tapering rifle, and drawing forth his
girdle-knife, severed the elephant's tail from
the carcase, as his just trophy.

These two having been disposed of, and a
degree of calm restored, the general attention
was directed towards the herd, which
still remained in their original position. For
a time fear seemed to hold them motionless;
but when the extremity of their danger
rose before them, a number of the boldest
made a desperate rush at the entrance, but
were easily turned back, when the watchers
stirred up the great guard-fire, whilst, from
other parts of the Kraal, they were soon
repelled by an application of white wands.
In this way a good hour was spent, at the
end of which time the creatures appeared
to give up the idea of any further aggressive
proceedings, and remained subdued and
calm.

A dangerous task had still to be performed—
that of securing the best of the herd for taming.
Half-a-dozen of the most active and skilful of
the villagers crept slowly and carefully towards
the frightened group; each having a long stout
cord of jungle-rope in his hand, with a
running noose at one end of it. With stealthy, cat-
like steps, these daring fellows went amongst
the herd, making some of us tremble for their
safety. Each of them selected one of the
largest and strongest of the group, behind
which they crept; and, having arranged the
"lasso " for action, they applied a finger gently
to the right heel of their beast, who feeling the
touch as though that of some insect, slowly
raised the leg, shook it, and replaced it on the
ground. The men, as the legs were lifted,
placed the running nooses beneath them, so
that the elephants were quietly trapped,
unknown to themselves, and with the utmost
ease. The men now stole rapidly away with
the ends of the ropes, and immediately made
them fast to the ends of the nearest trees.
These ropes, however, were far from being
sufficiently strong to hold an elephant who
might put out his strength. It was therefore
necessary to secure them still further, but by
gentle means. The two tame elephants were
then placed on active service : they were
evidently perfectly at home, and required no
directions for their work. Walking slowly
up to the nearest of the six captured animals,
they began to urge him towards the tree to
which he was fastened. At first the creature
was stubborn ; but a few taps on his great
skull, and a mighty push on his carcase, sent
him a yard or two nearer his destination. As
he proceeded, the man in charge of the rope
gathered in the slack of it ; and so matters
went on between this party — a tap, a push,
and a pull — until at length three of the
elephants were close to the tree. Two other
villagers then came forward with a stout iron
chain. The tame animals placed themselves
one on each side of their prisoner, pressing
him between them so tightly as to prevent
the possibility of his moving. In a minute or
two the great chain was passed several times
round the hind legs and the tree ; and, in this
way the captive was left ; helpless and faint
with struggling. The other five were
similarly treated. After which our party
dispersed, pretty well tired, and quite prepared
for bed.

Early next morning I paid a last visit to
the Kraal, alone; my friends were fairly
worn out. The remainder of the elephants
had been either shot or had forced their
way out in one or two places. The six
captured animals were quiet — as well they might
be, after their long fast and incessant struggling.
Towards the end of that day, a very small
portion of food was supplied to them, just
sufficient to keep them alive. In this way
they were to remain for a week or two, when,
if found sufficiently reduced in strength and
temper, they were to be walked about, fastened
between two tame companions, who assisted
very effectually in their daily education — not,
perhaps, in the most gentle and polite manner,
but still much to the purpose.

At the end of two or three months, the
wild and unruly destroying monster of the
jungle might be seen quietly and submissively
piling logs of ebony in the Government timberyards,
with a purpose-like intelligence little
short of that of man.

A CHRISTMAS PIECE.

MASTER PILBY is a dunce. He returned
from school four days ago, bringing a right
hand with him that was ink-stained on the
thumb and two forefingers to the second
knuckle. By aid of pumice-stone, he has
almost contrived to rub his little fingers
white again, since he has been told that he
must hold a tidy hand out to be shaken by
aunts, uncles, and friends this Christmas.
Bruises have faded also from his person, and
a joyous inn of rest, after six months of jolting