usly and suspiciously
out of its little eyes, shifted uneasily from foot to foot, and at first
shrank from him. But, as the officer stood quietly in front of it, it
stretched out its trunk and smelled the extended hand. Then it touched the
arm and felt it up to the shoulder, on which it let the tip of the trunk
rest for a few seconds. At last it seemed satisfied that the white man was
a friend and did not intend to hurt it.

During the ordeal Dermot had never moved; although there was every reason
to fear that the animal, either from sheer nervousness or from resentment
at the ill-treatment that it had just received, might attack him and
trample him to death. Indeed, many tame elephants, being unused to
Europeans, will not allow white men to approach them. So the Hindu coolie
stood trembling with fright, while the _havildar_ and the butler were
alarmed at their sahib's peril.

But Dermot coolly peeled a banana and placed it in the elephant's mouth.
The gift was tried and approved by the huge beast, which graciously
accepted the rest of the fruit. Then the Major said to it in the _mahouts'_
tongue:

"_Buth!_ (Lie down!)"

The elephant slowly sank down to the ground and allowed the Major to
examine its head, which was badly lacerated by the spikes. Dermot cleansed
the wounds thoroughly and applied an antiseptic to them. The animal bore it
patiently and seemed to recognise that it had found a friend; for, when it
rose to its feet again, it laid its trunk almost caressingly on Dermot's
shoulder.

The officer stroked it and then turned to the _mahout_, who was standing in
the background.

"Chand Khan, you are not to come near this elephant again," he said. "I
suspend you from charge of it and shall report you for dismissal. _Jao!_
(Go!)"

The man slunk away scowling. Dermot beckoned to the Hindu, who approached
salaaming.

"Are you this animal's coolie?"

(The Government of India very properly recognises the lordliness of the
elephant and provides him in captivity with no less than two body-servants,
a _mahout_ and a coolie, whose mission in life is to wait on him.)

The Hindu salaamed again.

"Yes, _Huzoor_ (The Presence)," he replied.

"How long have you been with it?"

"Five years, _Huzoor_."

"What is its name?"

"_Badshah_ (The King). And indeed he is a _badshah_ among elephants. No one
but a Mussulman would treat him with disrespect. Your Honour sees that he
is a _Gunesh_ and worthy of reverence."