22 HUNTING A L VENTURES. 



upon as the principle diversion, and the discovery of one of these 

 animals is accounted a matter of great joy. The cover in whicn 

 he is found is commonly long grass, or reeds of such a height as 

 frequently to reach above the elephants ; and it is difficult to find 

 him in such a place, as he commonly endeavors either to steal 

 off, or lies so close to the ground that he cannot be roused till the 

 elephants are almost upon him. He then roars and skulks away, 

 but is shot at as soon as he can be seen ; it being generally con- 

 trived that the Nabob shall have the compliment of firing first. 

 If he be not disabled, he continues to skulk along, followed by 

 the elephants; the Nabob and others shooting at him, as often a* 

 he can be seen, till he falls. 



The elephants themselves are very much afraid of this terribie 

 animal, and discover their apprehensions by shrieking and roaring 

 as soon as they begin to smell him or hear him growl; generally 

 attempting to turn away from the place where he is. When the 

 tiger can be traced to a particular spot, the elephants are disposed 

 of in a circle round him; in which case he will at last make a 

 desperate attack, springing upon the elephant that is nearest, and 

 attempting to tear him with his teeth or claws. Some, but very 

 few, of the elephants, can be brought to attack the tiger ; and thv 

 they do by curling up their trunks under their mouths, and then 

 attempting to toss, or otherwise destroy him with their tusks, or to 

 crush him with their feet or knees. It is considered as good sport 

 to kill one tiger in the day ; though sometimes, when a female is 

 met with her young ones, two or three will be killed. The other 

 objects of pursuit in these excursions are wild elephants, buffaloes 

 rhinoceroses. Our author was present at the hunting of a wild 

 elephant of vast size and strength. An attempt was first made to 

 take him alive by surrounding him with tame elephants, while he 

 was kept at bay by crackers and other fire-works ; but he con- 

 stantly eluded every effort of this kind. Sometimes the drivers 

 of the tame elephants got so near him, that they threw strong 

 jopes over his head, and endeavored to detain him by fastening 

 them around trees ; but he constantly snapped the ropes like pack- 

 breads, and pursued his way to the forest. Some of the strongest 



