AT BAY 



dense cover, its occasional growls alone indicating its 

 whereabouts. 



Several attempts were made to force a charge, but 

 without success. Finally one of the tuskers, an exceptionally 

 staunch and powerful animal, was pressed slowly forward 

 till nothing but a few leafy branches lay between it and the 

 tiger. Then, with an indifference almost incredible under 

 the circumstances, it seized, and gently pushed aside the 

 branches with its trunk till a patch of black and yellow 

 stripe was exposed to view. 



G , who had been directing this very dangerous 



operation, quickly seized his opportunity, and seeing that 

 the tiger still refused to charge, fired a charge of No. 6 

 into the patch, hoping this might effect a change in the 

 tiger's position, and thus allow of a more certain shot. 



The effect was instantaneous, but scarcely in accord- 

 ance with the wishes or expectations of the sportsman, who 

 had scarcely time to change his shot gun for the rifle, 

 when, with a mighty bound, the tiger sprung fairly on to 

 the elephant's head, and holding on with teeth and claws, 

 remained clinging there ! 



Fortunately the brave old elephant, in spite of this 

 unwelcome addition to his load, stood like a rock, enabling 



G to take a steady aim at the snarling brute, now 



literally face to face with him. 



The blinding flash and smoke that followed, obstructed 

 his vision for a while, but as the last cleared off he could 

 see the tiger stretched out below him, gasping away the 

 life he had so stubbornly defended to the end. 



Lying there, extended to its fullest length, he was a 



sight to fill any sportsman's heart with joy, and G , 



who had shot many a tiger in his time, in fact could count 

 them by the score, gazed with wonder and delight at the 

 huge proportions of the beast. 



In the meanwhile the other elephants, thinking the 

 tiger was still in pursuit, could be heard crashing through 

 the jungle in their headlong flight, squealing and trumpeting 

 in their terror. However, the three howdah elephants 

 being really staunch animals, soon recovered from their 

 temporary scare and, yielding to the persuasion of their 

 drivers, returned ready to renew the attack. 



133 



