“If you are ready,” answered the King.
They accordingly turned and retraced their steps until again in the cavern. Instead of turning to the left and following the wall as they had done previously, they followed the lava bed which had gradually spread over a very wide area in the cavern, in one place being fully a mile wide. They followed this until opposite the hole, when they moved over to this and left the cavern.
The large black group again attracted their attention, and they determined to see what it was before returning to the villa. The sun was getting well down toward the western horizon, and they had a good fifteen miles to make, but they must see what it was that could make such a mark in the heart of this ash-covered plain. From as near as they could make out the animals were nearly two miles away. They hurried on, wishing to reach home before it grew very dark. When within a mile of the dark object, they saw that it was a herd of elephants, lying down. They drew up to these cautiously, so as not to be molested, if possible, but they saw that the elephants were undoubtedly very much exhausted, or else dead, for they paid but little or no attention to the approaching riders.
But just before they came up to them, one of the animals half raised his head, but that was all, they made no further sign. The riders now came up to them and saw their predicament. These animals had undoubtedly been overcome by the shower of ashes, and sinking down had been too weak to again rise, and now, after a week of suffering and fasting, they were nearly dead. There were fully a hundred of them and they had been perfectly wild, but were now as docile as so many lambs.
“If we can save them,” said Onrai, “they will take the place of the hundred we lost.”
CHAPTER XLVI.
“WE DIE TOGETHER.”
The elephants were sadly emaciated, for they had now been seven days without food or water. Their great bodies looked gaunt, and their little eyes were sunken well into the head. Their bodies were nearly half covered with the ashes, and together with this and the fact that they were so weak they could only move their heads, turning them from side to side, showing that there was still life in their huge bodies.
“Yes, if we could get these elephants to the villa,” said Onrai, “they could well take the place of those which were killed.”
“But even if you were to get them there, they would, with returning strength, grow as wild as ever, would they not?” said Mr. Bruce.
“No,” said Onrai, “hunger always tames an elephant, and if he is taken while hungry, and given food and placed with tame elephants, he is generally as docile and manageable as any of those which have been in captivity all their lives.”