TIGERLAND 



forearm, and galloped back in the direction of the advanc- 

 ing " line," and, the elephants being at long intervals, 

 managed to get through them. 



The line now halted and changed front, while the 

 " howdahs," moving quickly round through the open, 

 were posted inside the grass, some three hundred yards 

 from the forest, the line being directed to advance towards 

 them in the hopes that the tiger, being hit, might be lying 

 up in the grass. However, the grass being very extensive 

 and the number of beating elephants comparatively few, 

 they had to beat in a zigzag fashion to cover as much 

 ground as possible, and hence took some time to reach the 

 " howdahs." 



Meanwhile there had been no signs of the tiger, and a 

 consultation was being held as to what had best be done, 

 when suddenly, with a deafening roar, up it sprang under 

 the feet of the beating elephants, and selecting one of 

 them, a female, and unfortunately the most timid of the 

 lot, charged her furiously. 



She turned at once to bolt, but before she could get off 

 the tiger, with a rapid and upward movement of the body 

 and forefeet, was on to her hindquarters, then, with its 

 foreclaws embedded near the root of her tail, its hind in 

 her thigh, and the projecting ledge of the pad gripped 

 firmly between its teeth, it clung on, roaring all the 

 time as loudly as its partially closed mouth would 

 allow of. 



The unfortunate elephant meanwhile, maddened with 

 pain and terror, was flying through the grass in and out 

 amongst the other elephants, most of which were utterly 

 demoralized, requiring all the skill of their drivers to pre- 

 vent their bolting too. 



To fire at the tiger under the circumstances was 

 obviously impossible, hence it continued its ride unmolested 

 for some time till, probably finding its position somewhat 

 trying, it suddenly let go, and, landing on the grass, bounded 

 off in the direction of the river where it was originally 

 put up. 



In the meantime, the panic-stricken elephant continued 

 her mad flight, rushing headlong into the jungle, screaming 

 and trumpeting with terror, evidently under the impression 

 90 



