Jungle By-Ways in India 



or not. He had never spoken to either of the 

 shots. From his behaviour I had every belief 

 that he was, especially as the fair occupant 

 of No. 2 howdah was a good shot and a fairly cool 

 hand at the game. 



A third rush through the grass facing lucky 

 No. 2, and a more determined one this time. He 

 came to the edge of the grass and was met with a 

 shot. I just saw a flickering patch of yellow for an 

 instant as the cur turned for the third time and 

 retreated. So sure had I been of a shot this time 

 that I had all but pulled the trigger at the place 

 I had expected him to occupy an instant later. 

 ' Budzat Shaitan/ muttered my mahout audibly, 

 ' you and your grandmother are white-livered 

 women and the offspring of pigs.' 



The third charge had failed, and my hopes 

 now went down to zero, and I envied the three 

 men in the howdahs in the line, for it appeared to 

 be a gift for any one of them, unless they walked 

 over him, which was not impossible in that thick 

 stuff. The beating elephants were now closed 

 up so as to touch each other, and I advanced 

 up the road in line with them, so as to give no 

 opening for ' stripes ' to sneak across the road. We 

 went very slowly, halting at each step. 



The howdah in the line nearest me was just 

 about in the middle of the grass patch, and its 

 occupant craned over the edge with his eyes 

 piercing the jungle straight below him and finger 



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