THE "BUDMASH" 



in charge of one of my northern outposts, that a tiger had 

 taken up its quarters in a jungle adjoining a group of 

 villages, and was destroying cattle at a rate which threatened 

 to cause serious damage to the villagers concerned. Accom- 

 panying this report was a petition from the latter praying 

 that the sahib would come out and shoot the beast at once. 

 Now as it happened we had already arranged to spend the 

 coming Christmas holidays at a camp in another part of 

 the district, but as the speedy destruction of this par- 

 ticular tiger was obviously more important than hunting 

 for others less actively aggressive, we decided to combine 

 business with pleasure and hunt this one instead. 



We accordingly sent orders for our tents to be trans- 

 planted as speedily as possible, and a couple of days later 

 we that is, the district magistrate, the forest officer, 

 the doctor and myself found ourselves encamped on a 

 large plain within easy distance of the jungle we proposed 

 to investigate. 



Elephants had previously been collected from all parts 

 of the district, and, including four staunch animals for 

 the " howdahs," numbered about twenty. Amongst these 

 was a gigantic brute of very uncertain temper, commonly 

 known as the " Budmash " or " wicked one," which had 

 earned this evil reputation by various attempts to kill 

 its mahouts or drivers. Of late the animal had shown no 

 disposition to be dangerous, till the day before this incident, 

 when, on returning from the jungle, it had exhibited such 

 temper that its grass-cutter, who always walked behind, 

 armed with a long spear, had been compelled to use it, 

 the punishment evidently having the desired effect, for 

 the beast seemingly became quite cowed and docile. 

 Thus, when, early the next morning, information was 

 brought in of a " kill " outside the forest, the " Budmash," 

 now to all appearances as tractable as the rest, was sent 

 out with the other elephants to the jungle to form one of 

 the beating line. An hour or two later we rod out on 

 ponies to the cover, where, mounting our respective 

 " howdahs," we took up our positions, while the " line " 

 beat through the jungle, only to find a cow partially 

 eaten, but no other signs of the tiger, excepting some 

 fresh tracks leading into the forest. 



37 



