ch consisted of
lofty arches, through which the display could be witnessed. At either end
of the arena was chained a monster male elephant. A number of female
elephants were on an elevation near it; and it seemed as though they were
placed there for the same reason that the ladies were admitted to the
tournaments of the knights in England and France. It was said that these
females had a decided taste for such fights, and possibly the sight of them
stimulated the male combatants.

There were a number of men, very slightly clothed, in the ring, who seemed
like the _chulos_ of the Spanish arena, though their functions could
hardly be the same; and there were many openings in the walls through which
they could escape, instead of leaping over the fence, as the bull-fighters
do. Some of them were armed with lances, and others with a stick with
fireworks at the end.

The Guicowar entered the spectators' apartment, which was already well
filled with nobles and the foreigners. He was dressed in white linen, with
an elegant cap on his head. He had a fine athletic form, and wore a short
beard. He was not inclined to take the special arm-chair assigned to him,
but walked about, speaking to his guests, not omitting the boys, to whom he
appeared to have taken a fancy.

His Highness gave a signal, at which the mahouts took their places on the
necks of the big beasts, and the chains which secured the combatants were
cast off. The monsters roared, and, with their trunks elevated, advanced to
the affray. They increased their speed as they came nearer to each other.
They rushed together, as Scott expressed it, "head on," and the strangers
seemed to feel the shock through their nerves. It was so violent the beasts
dropped upon their knees forward.

Then they began to twist their trunks together, and buck with their tusks.
For some minutes the giants wrestled together, but the combat proved to be
of brief duration. The party could see that one of them was getting the
worst of it, and was inclined to "hedge." In fact, he had had enough of it;
but he was too wise to abandon his tactics when it was time for him to
retreat. Mustering all his power, he made a desperate effort, and succeeded
in forcing the other back enough to turn his huge body without exposing his
flank to the tusks of the enemy, and then beat a hasty retreat.

The vanquished brute was removed from the arena, and the victor remained
alone on the field he had won; but he had