THE TEAIL OF THE TIGER 293 



sharp whiffing, sniffing, and the swaying grass that 

 mark the charging rhino. If trees happen to be 

 plentiful in the vicinity such a run-away is really 

 dangerous to the occupants of the howdah. Once 

 I had such an experience and I hope never to have 

 another so uncomfortable. Luckily there were no 

 trees, but several shallow, narrow gullies into 

 which the elephant scrambled with great haste ; the 

 howdah meanwhile rocking like a cockle shell in 

 a sea way. I was as a pea within a vigorously 

 shaken rattle. That the howdah stayed on the 

 elephant's back is recommendation enough of the 

 strength of the ropes and the skill of the lashing. 

 Walking up a tiger with beaters can not be done 

 in a long grass country and should be attempted 

 anywhere only by those of experience ; aside from 

 the danger, there are a hundred chances of failure 

 by doing the wrong thing at the right time. A 

 tiger shows extraordinary intelligence in discern- 

 ing the silent, waiting sportsman up a tree in the 

 foreground, from the harmless, though noisy tom- 

 toming beaters at his rear, and will often break 

 back through the line, unless continuous skill and 

 care are exercised. So a beat should never begin 

 too near the tiger once he has been located, as he 

 may go unseen straight out of the country at once. 

 Some tigers show immediately; others not until 

 the last moment; and, as with other animals, no 



