178 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



various sources, and some of the narrators were actors 

 in the scenes described : A tiger had sprung upon the 

 shoulder of Lieutenant Colnett's elephant, who in this 

 situation fired at him, and he fell. Conceiving him to 

 be disabled, the Lieutenant descended from the elephant 

 for the purpose of despatching him with his pistol ; but 

 in alighting he came in contact with the tiger, who had 

 only crouched for a second spring, and who, catching 

 hold of him by the thigh, dragged him some distance 

 along the ground. Having succeeded in drawing one 

 of a brace of pistols from his belt, Lieutenant Colnett 

 fired, and lodged a ball in the body of the tiger, when 

 the beast became enraged, shook him violently without 

 letting go his hold, and made off towards the thickest 

 part of the jungle with his prey. In the struggle to 

 disengage himself from the clutches of the animal, the 

 Lieutenant caught hold of the tiger by both his ears, 

 and succeeded after some time in throwing the beast 

 on his side, when he availed himself of his momentary 

 release to draw forth the remaining pistol, and placing 

 the muzzle at the breast of the tiger, shot him through 

 the heart. He then returned to his elephant, which he 

 mounted without assistance, feeling at the moment little 

 pain from his wounds, although he received no fewer 

 than thirty-five, from the effects of which he long after- 

 wards continued to suffer. 



A very large royal tiger descended from some heights. 

 After he had settled himself, a party advanced, and he 

 seemed anxious to charge, but showed great reluctance 

 to quit the spot where he had rested. Several balls 

 struck him in the flanks, and a musket ball having 

 pierced his side obliquely, passed through his liver, and 

 he did not rise again. His skin measured ten feet four 



