Pelts 



history observations. The beat was a short one, 

 and the tiger marked down in this area might be 

 on us at any moment. As I peered into the thick- 

 matted depths of the forest behind me now and 

 then, I thought that rarely had it been my lot to 

 see such a peculiarly favourable spot for ' stripes ' 

 to lie up in. The grass itself on the far side of the 

 forest strip was dense, and thick enough to satisfy 

 most that they were in a veritable Indian jungle. 

 But the grass was child's play to the work that 

 awaited the elephants once they started to force 

 their way through the wall of forest, narrow 

 though the area was. 



The line came slowly on, but not a sound was 

 to be heard in the forest behind one. Once we 

 both thought we heard a stealthy rustle and a 

 tiny twig snap ; but that was all, and the elephant 

 stood like a stone and made no sign of the near 

 proximity of a tiger. 



On came the giant beaters, rustling and swish- 

 ing through the long thick grass. A crash ! Ah ! 

 the first elephants are entering the forest, and un- 

 willingly so, apparently from the objurgations cast 

 at them by their drivers. Cries, shouts, and that 

 dull, muffled, drum-like sound of the goad beaten 

 on the elephants' heads come through the forest 

 to one, and the eyes almost ache from the strain 

 one is putting them to in our efforts to keep a 

 look out on every likely spot. 



A glance to my right as I face the road shows 



227 



