A FEW ELEPHANT STORIES. 189 



out should the fancy strike him to turn to us for sport. 

 He was loosed into the arena, around which he circled 

 several times, and at last stopped directl}' in front of us 

 and stood looking at us in a way that made me bless 

 the foresight that had built the screen. But immedi- 

 ately a buffalo was driven into the circle, and advanced 

 slowly toward the crouching tiger, who was ready for a 

 spring. Seeing this he stopped short, his horns low, 

 snorting with anger. But the tiger paid no attention 

 to him, nor to five more buffaloes which were let loose 

 one after the other, treating them with sublime disdain, 

 as foemen unworthy of his steel. A curious incident 

 happened just then : a small dog fell into the arena 

 from one of the seats, and toward him ^vith stately 

 steps the tiger stalked, without, however, any appear- 

 ance of anger. The dog, frightened, ran whining round 

 the edge of the enclosure, and after him the tiger, 

 faster and faster. Finally, seeing he could not escape, 

 and that one or two more leaps would be his last, he 

 turned and with real grit showed his teeth to his pur- 

 suer. We supposed he would be crushed at a blow ; 

 but not at all. At the instant the tiger was about to 

 spring upon him, the brute seemed to change his mind, 

 and, like a cat after a mouse, crouched watching and 

 playing with him. Then the Nabob ordered them to 

 let in the elephant. 



The crowd were hushed in silence. Either the tiger 

 must fight or be killed ingloriously. A gate opened, and 



