SINDBAD, THE SALLUR. 169

elephants to pass, I perceived, to my great astonishment, that
instead of traversing the forest as usual, they stopped and came
towards me with a terrible noise, and in such numbers that the
ground was covered with them, and trembled under their foot-
steps. They approached the tree where I was placed, and sur-
rounded it with their trunks extended, having their eyes all
fixed upon me. At this surprising spectacle I remained motion-
less, and so agitated by fright that my bow and arrows fell from
my hands,

My fears were not groundless. After the elephants had
viewed me for some time, one of the largest twisted his trunk
round the body of the tree, and shook it with so much violence
that he tore it up by the roots, and threw it on the ground. I
fell with the tree ; but the animal took me up with his trunk,
and placed me on his shoulders, where I remained more dead
than alive. He put himself at the head of his companions, who
followed him in a troop, and carried me to a spot where, having
set me down, he and the rest retired. Conceive my situation!
Ithoughtitadream. At length, having been seated some time,
and seeing no other elephants, I arose, and perceived that I
was on a little hill of some breadth, entirely covered with bones
and teeth of elephants. This sight filled my mind with a
variety of reflections. I admired the instinct of these animals,
and did not doubt that this was their cemetery or place of
burial, and that they had brought me hither to shew it me, that
I might desist from destroying them, as I did it merely for the
sake of possessing their teeth. I did not stay long on the hill,
but turned my steps towards the city ; and having walked a day
and a night, at last arrived at my master’s. I did not meet any
elephant in my way, which plainly evinced that they had entered
farther into the forest, to leave me an unobstructed passage from
the hill.

As soon as my master saw me, “Ah! poor Sindbad,” ex-
claimed he, “I was in pain to know what could become of you.
I have been to the forest, and found a tree newly torn up by the
roots, and a bow and arrows on the ground: after having sought
you everywhere in vain, I despaired of ever seeing you again.
Pray relate to me what has happened to you, and by what happy
chance you are still alive.” I satisfied his curiosity, and the fol-
lowing day, having accompanied me to the hill, he was with