130 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



Thompson, who became much agitated as a succession of wild pigs 

 rushed forward upon several occasions, and one lot took to water, 

 swimming across a channel upon my left. Presently a slow move- 

 ment disturbed the half-burnt herbage, and I could make out with 

 difficulty some form creeping silently forward about 40 yards from 

 my position. It halted, no doubt having perceived the elephant. 

 It moved again, and once more halted. I now made out that it 

 was a tiger ; but although I could distinguish yellow and black 

 stripes, I could not possibly determine any head or tail, therefore 

 I could only speculate upon its actual attitude. It struck me that 

 it would probably be facing me, but crouching low. The elephants 

 were now about 150 yards distant, approaching in a crescent, as 

 the high grass was not more than the same distance in width. 



I determined to take the shot, as I felt sure that the '577 rifle 

 would cripple the beast, and that we should find it when severely 

 wounded ; otherwise it might disappear and give us several hours' 

 hard labour to discover. Taking a very steady aim low down in 

 the indistinct mass, I fired. 



The effect was instantaneous ; a succession of wild roars was 

 accompanied by a tremendous struggle in the high grass, and I 

 could occasionally see the tiger rolling over and over in desperate 

 contortions, while a cloud of black dust from the recent fire rose 

 as from a furnace. This continued for about twelve or fifteen 

 seconds, during which my elephant had whisked round several 

 times and been severely punished by the driver's hook, when 

 suddenly, from the cloud of dust, a tiger came rushing at great 

 speed, making a most determined charge at the nervous Thompson. 

 Away went my elephant as hard as he could go, tearing along through 

 the grass as though a locomotive engine had left the rails, and 

 no power would stop him until we had run at least 120 yards. 

 During this run, with the tiger in pursuit for a certain distance, 

 I fully expected to see it clinging to the crupper ; however, by the 

 time we turned the elephant it had retreated to the high grass 

 covert. 



I felt sure this was the wounded tiger, although Michael 

 declared that it was a fresh animal, and that two had been 

 together. 



I now pushed the elephant into the middle of the grass, and 

 holloaed to the line to advance in a half-circle, as I was convinced 

 that the tiger was somewhere between me and the approaching 

 elephants. 



They came on tolerably well, although a few were rather scared. 

 At length they halted about 70 yards from me, and, as I knew 



