d my breath and glanced at my comrades. They lay
perfectly motionless, with their eyes fixed on the animal, which
hesitated on approaching our hillock. My blood almost stagnated in my
veins. I thought that he must have observed us or smelt us, and was
about to charge. He was only undecided as to which side of the hillock
he should pass by on his way to the pond. Turning to the left, he went
down to the water with a heavy, rolling gait, crushing the shrubs under
his ponderous feet in a way that filled me with an exalted idea of his
tremendous power.

I breathed freely again, and felt as if a mighty load had been lifted
off me. From the suppressed sighs vented by my comrades, I judge that
they also had experienced somewhat similar relief. We had not, however,
had time to utter a whisper before our ears were assailed by the most
tremendous noise that we had yet heard. It came from the opposite side
of the pool, as if a great torrent were rushing towards us. Presently a
black billow seemed to burst out of the jungle and roll down the sloping
bank of the pond.

"Elephants!" exclaimed Jack.

"Impossible," said I; "they must be buffaloes."

At that instant they emerged into the full blaze of the moon, and showed
themselves to be a herd of full-grown elephants, with a number of
calves. There could not have been fewer than one hundred on the margin
of the pond; but from the closeness of their ranks and their incessant
movements I found it impossible to count their numbers accurately. This
magnificent army began to drink and throw water about, waving their
trunks and trumpeting shrilly at the same time with the utmost delight.
The young ones especially seemed enjoy themselves immensely, and I
observed that their mothers were very attentive to them, caressing them
with their trunks and otherwise showing great fondness for their
offspring.

"I say," whispered Peterkin, "what a regiment of cavalry these fellows
would make, mounted by gorillas armed with scythe-blades for swords and
Highland claymores for dirks!"

"Ay, and cannon-revolvers in their pockets!" added Jack. "But, look--
that hideous old rhinoceros. He has been standing there for the last
two minutes like a rock, staring intently across the water at the
elephants."

"Hush!" said I. "Whisper softly. He may hear us."

"There goes something else on our side," whispered Peterkin, pointing to
the right of our hillock. "Don't you see it? There, agains