leted. The Parsee, who was well
acquainted with all the byways, declared that twenty miles would be
saved by striking directly across the forest; so the party yielded.

Sir Francis and Mr. Fogg, buried up to their necks in the howdahs, got
terribly shaken by the rough trotting of the elephant, which was urged
by the driver. But they put up with the inconvenience with true
British self-restraint; they spoke but seldom and scarcely looked at
each other.

Passe-partout was obliged to be very careful not to keep his tongue
between his teeth, else it would have been bitten off, so unmercifully
was he jogged up and down. The brave fellow, sometimes thrown forward
on the animal's neck, sometimes upon the croup, performed a series of
vaulting movements something like a circus clown on the
"spring-board." But all the time he joked and laughed at the
somersaults he performed so involuntarily; occasionally he took out a
lump of sugar from his pocket and handed it to Kiouni, who took it in
his trunk without slackening his pace for a second.

After proceeding thus for a couple of hours, the driver called a halt
and gave the elephant an hour's rest. The animal ate all the branches
and shrubs in the vicinity, as soon as he had quenched his thirst at a
neighbouring spring. Sir Francis did not complain of this delay; he
was terribly bruised. Mr. Fogg did not appear any more discomposed
than if he had only got out of bed.

"He is a man of iron!" exclaimed the general, as he gazed at his
companion admiringly.

"Of hammered iron," replied Passe-partout, who was preparing a hasty
breakfast.

At noon the driver gave the signal for departure. The country soon
became very wild. The dense forest was succeeded by groves of dates
and palms; then came extensive arid plains dotted here and there with
bushes, and sprinkled with immense blocks of syenite. The whole of
this region of Bundelcund, which is seldom traversed, is inhabited by
a fanatical people inured to the most fearful practices of the
Hindoos. The English Government has scarcely yet entirely obtained the
control over this region, which is ruled by rajahs, who are very
difficult to bring to book from their almost inaccessible mountain
fastnesses. Many times the travellers noticed bands of fierce natives,
who gesticulated angrily at perceiving the swift-footed elephant pass
by; and the Parsee took care to give them all a wide berth. They
encountered very few wild animals; even mon