3 1 4 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



the elephants, who know perfectly well what they 

 are there for. Suddenly there is a low rumble like 

 distant thunder, and a sort of metallic sound caused 

 by one of the elephants striking his trunk against 

 his knee. Every one is on the qui vive. A tiger is 

 not far off ; his scent has betrayed him. Some one 

 points ; a line of moving grass-tops is seen in front 

 of the line. The leader, who is in the centre of the 

 line, waves ahead. This is the order for the line to 

 accelerate. Wang, wang go the " gazebars," a sort 

 of boat-hooks with which the mahouts drive. Off 

 the line goes after the moving grass. Nearer it comes 

 and nearer, but still no stripes are to be seen only 

 the waving grass betrays the moving beast. The 

 line gets near the end of the high grass ; there is 

 open jungle beyond where the forward guns are 

 posted. Stripes is now on track unless he charges 

 back through the line, and even then some one may 

 get a chance at him on the way. He does not like 

 to face the open ; he stops a moment and comes 

 back ; you can just make him out through the grass. 

 Bang goes a rifle. Probably it is a miss ; you are 

 very likely to shoot high off a howdah, especially in 

 long grass. He bounds out of the grass right in 

 front of one of the forward guns, who stands on his 

 elephant motionless, in the shade if possible. A well- 

 directed shot catches him fair, and over he goes. Or 

 he may go on to lie up in a real thick place and take 

 a deal of finishing, sometimes fighting and charging 

 to the last, and sometimes dying like a cur, for tigers, 

 like human beings, vary much in character. 



