THE TIGER. 59 



sical, no caressing or spurring, could induce them 

 to form in line, to beat the thicket out of which had 

 come the monster which had so troubled their minds. 



"At last, pell-mell, and driven like sheep, they ad- 

 vanced to about fifty yards from the thicket, guided 

 only by the violent blows of the ankus, when a second 

 roar from the tiger served as a prelude to a fresh 

 charge with all his speed. 



" This would doubtless have been, from the manner 

 in which it was made, a flight to his lair, but luckily, 

 amongst the numerous shots fired from the howdahs, 

 which were rolling and pitching lil^e boats on the sea, 

 a ball, fired by Melville, struck the tiger's shoulder, 

 which sent him rolling at four feet from Grant's 

 elephant, where we saw him lying on his back, with 

 his hind-legs paralyzed, and performing the exercise 

 of a pugilist with his fore-legs. The roars of the 

 elephants, the howling of the tiger, and the cries of 

 the crowd, produced such a confusion, that Melville's 

 elephant faced completely round and took to his heels. 



" The hurrah which followed the fall of the tiger 

 had scarcely subsided when he arose, and, balanc- 

 ing himself, attempted to spring forward a few 

 yards, principally by means of his fore-paws. He 

 repeated this manoeuvre at each discharge : it seemed 

 as if each ball had a revivifying effect on his system, 

 like sal volatile. He had risen for the last time, when 



