I tore up from the bottom of my lungs the most terrible yell in my power! It was a success; and the echoes repeated it as if they would never stop. It did not fail to produce the effect my Master expected. The horses were terrified and reared in disorder, and the shots scattered, without reaching us.
"We know how to defend ourselves for the present," said Alemguir; "some of the men are unhorsed, and the others have all they can do to control their animals."
Having my back turned, I could see nothing, but was greatly rejoiced at what I heard.
The current continued to carry us on, and there was no way of landing on the other side, which presented only a straight wall, while on the side of our foes the shore was becoming less and less steep.
The soldiers of Mysore, having succeeded in quieting their steeds, now gained rapidly upon us; but it was a peril of another kind that suddenly alarmed me. I felt the water beginning to draw me on with increasing swiftness, as though being attracted towards a gulf. I struggled vigorously against the current, endeavouring to draw backwards, but I could affect but little its course, which had become fearful in its rapidity. The Prince shared my anxiety.
"Help me," said he, "to stand upright on your neck, so that I can see what is this new danger."
I held up my trunk, and he leaned against it, steadying himself by means of it.
"Don't hesitate," shouted he in a trembling voice. "Throw yourself onto the shore where our enemies are—the river is going to fall in a cataract down into a horrible abyss!"
I swam with all my might towards the shore; but a force greater than mine drew me towards the fall, from which we were now distant only about a hundred yards.
"Courage! courage!" called my Master.