The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 340: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ITINERANTS oll emerged at least forty or fifty elephants, speeding onwards as if goaded by some frightful apprehension that had taken possession of them all. The Burker was transfixed to the spot with terror at this spectacle. Some of the elephants were of immense size, but notwithstanding the unwieldiness of their bulky forms, they rushed on with remarkable speed, flourishing their trunks and sending forth the strangest sounds. This herd of wild elephants seemed to be making straight for the very hill upon which the Burker was posted. On they came, trampling down the long grass, the brakes, and the thickets, in the midst of which all the lower parts of their huge uncouth forms were buried, and at length the Burker, galvanized into the sudden power of motion from his transfixed state of horrible alarm, was preparing to fly. But all in a moment he beheld the herd of elephants halt; those which were foremost turned around, and they all seemed to commence an attack upon some enemy that was in their midst. Full soon the Burker became aware what sort of an enemy this was, for the terrific howls of a tiger came pealing upon his ear. He looked on with indescribable suspense where that strange and fearful scene was taking place. The elephants exhibited a rage and desperation which were only proportionate with the enormous peril against which they were combating. The conflict however lasted not many minutes, for all of a sudden an object was whirled up into the air, and the Burker could distinguish the tiger as it thus for an instant turned around with its lithe, supple form, ere with a hideous yell it fell down again amidst its enemies. And now the Burker could see the ele- phants rush in upon it, and by theirmovements he knew that they were trampling it underfoot. For a few moments its howls lasted, full of mortal agony, and growing fainter and fainter until they ceased altogether. Then away sped the elephants, the whole herd appearing to follow one that acted as its leader. Through the wilds of the jungle went those unwieldy brutes with an astonishing degree of speed, until the wood hid them from the Burker’s view. He now began to breathe freely, as he sat down on the top of the rocky hill to rest after the exhausting effect which the tension of his feelings produced upon his physical being. But he began to reflect that he might have some reason to GOMiIGdoG SS (©)