vi THE TIGER 127 



confused masses of concentrated briars, which might have con- 

 cealed a buffalo. 



I did not share their opinion, but I concluded that the tiger 

 was crouching, and that it would allow the elephants to pass close 

 to its lair without the slightest movement. I accordingly ordered 

 them to close up shoulder to shoulder, and to take narrow beats 

 backwards and forwards to include every inch of ground. This 

 movement was carefully worked out, and in less than fifteen 

 minutes a sudden roar terrified the elephants, and the tiger charged 

 desperately through the line ! There was no longer any doubt 

 about its existence, and we quickly re-formed, and beat back in 

 exactly the same close order. Twice the charge was repeated, and 

 each time the line was broken ; one elephant received a trifling 

 scratch, and the tiger had learned that a direct charge would 

 enable it to escape. 



With only one gun it appeared to be a mere lottery, but the 

 exitement was delightful, as there was no doubt concerning the 

 tiger being alive, and very little doubt that it would continue its 

 present tactics of crouching close-hidden in the dense thicket, and 

 springing back through the line of elephants as they advanced. I 

 now changed my position in the line, and taking with me two 

 experienced elephants, I placed one on my right, the other on my 

 left ; we then advanced as slowly as it was possible for the elephants 

 to move, every mahout having strict orders to keep a bright look- 

 out, and to halt should he see the slightest movement in the bush 

 before him. No animals were left in the jungle except the tiger, 

 therefore any movement would be a certain sign of its presence. 



We had been advancing at the rate of about half a mile an 

 hour, the elephants almost "marking time," when in about the 

 centre of the jungle one of the mahouts raised his arm as a signal 

 and halted his elephant. The whole line halted immediately. 



I rode towards the spot; the line opened, and the mahout 

 explained that he distinctly saw the bushes move exactly in his 

 front, not more than three or four paces in advance. He declared 

 that just for one moment he had distinguished something yellow, 

 and the tiger was in his opinion, even then, crouching exactly 

 before us. Telling him to fall back, my two dependable elephants 

 took their places upon the right and left. My mahout advised me 

 not to advance, but to fire a shot into the supposed position, 

 which he declared would either kill the tiger or drive it forward. 

 I never like to fire at hazard, but I was of opinion that it might 

 provoke a charge, as I did not think that anything would induce 

 the tiger to move forward after the numerous successful attempts 



