The Elephant God | Page 7

thousand times."
"Yes; Simla's rather a rotten place, I believe," remarked the subaltern
meditatively. "Too many brass hats and women. They're the curse of
India, each of them. And I'm sure the women do the most harm."

"Well, steer clear of the latter, and don't become one of the former,"
said Dermot with a laugh, rising from his chair, "then you'll have a
peaceful life--but you won't get on in your profession."
CHAPTER II
A ROGUE ELEPHANT
The four transport elephants attached to the garrison of Ranga Duar for
the purpose of bringing supplies for the men from the far distant
railway were stabled in a peelkhana at the foot of the hills and a couple
of thousand feet below the Fort. This building, a high-walled shed with
thatched roof and brick standings for the animals, was erected beside
the narrow road that zig-zagged down from the mountains into the
forest and eventually joined a broader one leading to the narrow-gauge
railway that pierced the jungle many miles away.
One morning, about three weeks after Dermot's first introduction to
Badshah, the Major tramped down the rough track to the peelkhana,
carrying a rifle and cartridge belt and a haversack containing his food
for the day. Nearing the stables he blew a whistle, and a shrill
trumpeting answered him from the building, as Badshah recognised his
signal. Ramnath, hurriedly entering the impatient elephant's stall,
loosed him from the iron shackles that held his legs. Then the huge
beast walked with stately tread out of the building and went straight to
where Dermot awaited him. For during these weeks the intimacy
between man and animal had progressed rapidly. Elephants, though of
an affectionate disposition, are not demonstrative as a rule. But
Badshah always showed unmistakable signs of fondness for the white
man, whom he seemed to regard as his friend and protector.
Dermot was in the habit of taking him out into the jungle every day,
where he went ostensibly to shoot. After the first few occasions he
displaced Ramnath from the guiding seat on Badshah's neck and acted
as mahout himself. But, instead of using the ankus--the heavy iron
implement shaped like a boat-hook head which natives use to
emphasise their orders to their charges--the Major simply touched the

huge head with his open hand. And his method proved equally, if not
more, effective. He was soon able to dispense altogether with Ramnath
on his expeditions, which was his object. For he did not want any
witness to his secret explorations of the forest and the hills.
An elephant, when used as a beast of burden or for shooting from in
thick jungle, carries on its back only a "pad"--a heavy, straw-stuffed
mattress reaching from neck to tail and fastened on by a rope surcingle
passing round the body. On this pad, if passengers are to be carried, a
wooden seat with footboards hanging by cords from it and called a
charjama is placed. Only for sport in open country or high grass jungle
is the cage-like howdah employed.
Dermot replaced Badshah's heavy pad by a small, light one, especially
made, or else took him out absolutely bare. No shackles were needed to
secure the elephant when his white rider dismounted from his neck, for
he followed Dermot like a dog, came to his whistle, or stood without
moving from the spot where he had been ordered to remain. The most
perfect understanding existed between the two; and the superstitious
Hindus regarded with awe the extraordinary subjection of their sacred
and revered Gunesh to the white man.
Now, after a greeting and a palatable gift to Badshah, Dermot seized
the huge ears, placed his foot on the trunk which was curled to receive
it and was swung up on to the neck by the well-trained animal. Then,
answering the salaams of the mahouts and coolies, who invariably
gathered to witness and wonder at his daily meeting with Badshah, he
touched the elephant under the ears with his toe and was borne away
into the jungle.
His object this day was not to explore but to shoot a deer to replenish
the mess larder. Fresh meat was otherwise unprocurable in Ranga Duar;
and an unvaried diet of tinned food was apt to become wearisome,
especially as it was not helped out by bread and fresh vegetables. These
were luxuries unknown to the British officers in this, as in many other,
outposts.
The sea of vegetation closed around Badshah and submerged him, as he

turned off a footpath and plunged into the dense undergrowth. The trees
were mostly straight-stemmed giants of teak, branchless for some
distance from the ground. Each strove to thrust its head above the
others through the leafy canopy overhead, fighting for its share of the
life-giving sunlight. In the green gloom below