Its violent struggles, moreover--the partial and alternate raising of its shoulders, its excited shrieks--and the proboscis, rapidly extended now to this side, now to that, as if searching to grasp some support--all proved the truth of Ossaroo's assertion--the rogue was sinking in the quicksand.

And rapidly was the creature going down.

Before the spectators had been watching it five minutes, the water lapped up nearly to the level of its back, and then inch by inch, and foot by foot, it rose higher, until the round shoulders were submerged, and only the head and its long trumpet-like extension appeared above the surface.
Soon the shoulders ceased to play; and the vast body exhibited no other motion, save that gentle descent by which it was being drawn down into the bowels of the earth! The trunk still kept up its vibratory movement, now violently beating the water into foam, and now feebly oscillating, all the while breathing forth its accents of agony.
At length the upturned head and smooth protuberant jaws sank beneath the surface; and only the proboscis appeared, standing erect out of the water like a gigantic Bologna sausage.

It had ceased to give out the shrill trumpet scream; but a loud breathing could still be heard, interrupted at intervals by a gurgling sound.
Karl and Caspar kept their seats upon the tree, looking down upon the strange scene with feelings of awe depicted in their faces.

Not so the shikaree, who was no longer aloft.