210 Wild Beasts 



Sir Samuel Baker (" Wild Beasts and Their Ways ") 

 described the qualities of a good hunting animal in action. 

 His party were out near Moorwara. It was in the dry 

 season, and they were keeping on a line parallel with the 

 railroad, and about twenty miles from it. The heat had 

 evaporated tanks, caused upland springs to fail, and dried 

 up pools and watercourses, so that tigers, that cannot 

 endure thirst, were driven from their accustomed retreats 

 into places more accessible. On this occasion the natives 

 were beating towards Baker's elephant, but the beast, as 

 it sometimes does, broke back upon their line at once. 



" We were startled," he continues, " by the tremendous 

 roars of this tiger, continued in quick succession within 

 fifty yards of the position I then occupied. I never heard, 

 either before or since, such a volume of sound proceed 

 from a single animal. There was a horrible significance 

 in the grating and angry voice that betokened extreme 

 fury of attack. Not an instant was lost. The mahout 

 was an excellent man, as cool as a cucumber, and never 

 over-excited. He obeyed the order to advance straight 

 towards the spot where the angry roars still continued 

 without intermission. 



" Moolah Box was a thoroughly dependable elephant ; 

 but although moving forward with a majestic and deter- 

 mined step, it was in vain that I endeavored to hurry the 

 mahout. Both man and beast appeared to understand their 

 business completely, but according to my ideas the pace 

 was woefully slow if assistance was required in danger. 



"The ground was slightly rising, and the jungle thick 

 with saplings about twenty feet in height, and as thick as 



