vi THE TIGER 125 



and make off across the open grass-land to the neighbouring 

 shelter. I therefore posted myself outside the jungle in a kind of 

 bay, where I considered the tiger would emerge from his secure 

 hiding-place before he should risk a gallop across the open. 



I threw out scouts as usual, and I sent the line of elephants 

 round, to drive the jungle towards me from the opposite extremity. 



A certain time elapsed, and at length I perceived the approach, 

 in splendid line, each elephant as nearly as possible equidistant 

 from its neighbour. 



They marched forward in regular array until within a couple 

 of hundred yards of my position ; then suddenly I heard a trumpet, 

 trunks were thrown up in the air, the line wavered, and a succes- 

 sion of well-known sounds showed that a tiger was before them. 

 The mahouts steadied their animals, brought them again into a 

 correct line, and the advance continued. 



I was riding a large male elephant named Thompson ; this was 

 a fine animal with formidable tusks, but he was most unsteady. 

 Already he was swaying to and fro with high excitement, as he 

 knew full well by the trumpets and sounds of the other elephants 

 that a tiger was not far distant. 



Presently I saw the jungle shake, and a hog-deer dashed out 

 within a few yards of me ; the elephant whisked suddenly round ; 

 this prepared me for a display of his nervousness. Again the rose 

 bushes moved, and I distinctly observed a yellowish body stealing 

 beneath the tangled mass ; it was quickly lost to sight. The line 

 of beating elephants was coming slowly forward, crashing their 

 way through the bush, and occasionally giving a shrill scream, 

 when again I saw the bushes move ; without further introduction 

 a very large tigress gave two or three roars, and rushed out of the 

 jungle exactly opposite my position, straight at my elephant. 

 Before I had time to raise my rifle, the elephant spun round as 

 though upon a pivot, and ran off for a few paces, making it 

 impossible for me to fire. The tiger, probably alarmed, turned 

 back into the secure fortress of wild rose. 



We now knew that the tiger was positively between the line of 

 elephants and myself. I felt sure that it would not show again 

 at the same place ; I therefore selected a favourable spot about 

 100 yards to my left upon some slightly rising ground, and the 

 elephants wheeled and beat directly towards me. 



Nothing moved except pigs, which all broke back at a wild 

 rush between the elephants' legs, two of which had slight cuts 

 from the tusks of boars, which had made a spiteful dig at the 

 opposing legs whilst passing. 



