222 Wild Beasts 



little elephant to be a fast walker, and fairly stanch, I got 

 upon her back, and accompanied by the gomasta and 

 mahout we set out, followed by the peon and herdsmen 

 to show us the way. 



"I expected two friends, officers from Calcutta, that 

 very day, and wished not to kill the tigress, but to keep 

 her for our combined shooting next day. We had not 

 proceeded far, when on the other side of the nullah we 

 saw dense clouds of dust rising, and heard a confused 

 rushing, trampling sound, intermingled with the clashing 

 of horns, and the snorting of a herd of angry buffaloes. 



" It was the wildest sight I have ever seen in connection 

 with animal life. The buffaloes were drawn together in 

 the form of a crescent ; their eyes glared fiercely, and as 

 they advanced in a series of short runs, stamping with 

 their hoofs, and angrily lashing their tails, their horns 

 would come together with a clanging, clattering crash, 

 and they would paw the sand, snort, and toss their heads, 

 and behave in the most extraordinary manner. 



"The cause of all this commotion was not far to seek. 

 Directly in front, retreating slowly, with stealthy, crawling, 

 prowling steps, and an occasional short, quick leap or 

 bound to one or the other side, was a magnificent tigress, 

 looking the very impersonification of baffled fury. Ever 

 and anon she crouched down to the earth, tore it up with 

 her claws, lashed her tail from side to side, and with lips 

 retracted, long mustaches quivering with wrath, and hate- 

 ful eyes scintillating with rage and fury, she seemed to 

 meditate an attack upon the angry buffaloes. The serried 

 array of clashing horns, and the ponderous bulk of the 



