Shot followed shot; the elephants defended
their trunks with great dexterity by throwing them up or drawing
them in. After a sharp contest of half an hour, we were the
victors, and the dead animals were triumphantly stripped of their
beautiful skins. The gentlemen politely offered me one of them as a
present; but I declined accepting it, as I could not postpone my
journey sufficiently long for it to be dried. They complimented me
on my courage, and added, that such sport would be extremely
dangerous if the elephants were not particularly well trained; above
all, they must not be afraid of the tigers, nor even stir from the
spot; for, if they ran away, the hunters would be upset by the
branches of the trees, or be left hanging upon them, when they would
certainly become the victims of the bloodthirsty animals. It was
too late to visit the temples today, and I therefore waited till the
next morning.
The temples of Elora lie on that kind of table-land which is
peculiar to India. The principal temple, Kylas, is the most
wonderful of all those which are hewn out of the rock.
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