The
guard soon finding his retreat, attempted in vain to take him from his
asylum; for the elephant vigorously defended him with his trunk.
7. As soon as the soldier became sober, and saw himself placed under such
an unwieldy animal, he was so terrified that he scarcely durst move either
hand or foot; but the elephant soon caused his fears to subside by
caressing him with his trunk, and thus tacitly saying, "Depart in peace."
8. A pleasing anecdote is related of an elephant which was the property of
the nabob of Lucknow. There was in that city an epidemic disorder, making
dreadful havoc among the inhabitants. The road to the palace gate was
covered with the sick and dying, lying on the ground at the moment the
nabob was about to pass.
9. Regardless of the suffering he must cause, the nabob held on his way,
not caring whether his beast trod upon the poor helpless creatures or not.
But the animal, more kind-hearted than his master, carefully cleared the
path of the poor, helpless wretches as he went along. Some he lifted with
his trunk, entirely out of the road.
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