A FIGHTING TIGER 



the tiger was still on her, till at length, pacified by her 

 driver, she was brought into the line. 



As the tiger was now fairly roused and certain to charge 

 the line if they attempted to beat it out, the three " how- 

 dahs " were brought together, and, advancing in close 

 order, walked along the track left by the tiger in the grass. 



They had hardly reached fifty yards, however, when 

 out it came, making straight for the " howdahs." For- 

 tunately, one or more of the shots that rang out simultane- 

 ously apparently took effect, for it turned and retired, 

 growling savagely, but only to charge again as the elephants 

 approached and receive another volley. 



These proceedings were repeated several times, till, 

 sick of the warm reception it met with each time that it 

 charged, the tiger abandoned its position, taking up another 

 some fifty yards off in a horseshoe-shaped hollow, the 

 entrance to which sloped gradually down and was covered 

 with dense, high grass. 



Here the cunning beast was practically unassailable, 

 for to follow it through the high grass would be an extremely 

 hazardous undertaking, since in such dense cover it could 

 make its attacks suddenly and unperceived. Moreover, a 

 depression such as the one it had entered, when concealed 

 with luxuriant growth as this was, often indicates the 

 presence of bogs, or quicksands into which an elephant 

 might suddenly be plunged, and, unable to extricate itself, 

 eventually sink. 



Any idea of following the tiger up was therefore out of 

 the question ; hence, after a consultation, it was decided 

 to post the beating elephants along the bank, forming the 

 curves of the horseshoe while the " howdahs " faced the 

 entrance. A " shikari " and two police-orderlies, who were 

 amongst those mounted on the beating elephants, were 

 then given shot-guns with directions to fire into the hollow 

 where the grass was densest, and, in concert with all the 

 drivers, to shout as loudly as they could, in the hopes of 

 making the tiger break out to the " howdahs." 



This manoeuvre was soon accomplished, and with 

 satisfactory results, for no sooner was the shouting com- 

 menced and the first volley fired than the tiger broke out 

 and, rushing straight for the entrance, charged the centre 



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