A PUGNACIOUS RHINOCEROS 461 



within 50 yards of him than he rushed at us, half roaring, 

 half growling, and away went our steeds; he picked out 

 mine and was close to its quarter, when I turned round, and 

 firing down over the back of the howdah, I struck him on 

 the back of the head, and he turned a complete somersault; 

 and there he lay, but kicking up such a row that none of our 

 elephants would go up to him from the front. So I beckoned 

 to Campbell and Masters to take him from the rear, which 

 they did, and rolled him over, dead. In bulk he was the 

 very largest tiger I ever beheld ; it took fifteen men to lift 

 him on to a pad. As he lay dead, he was just 10 feet I inch 

 in length ; after being flayed the skin was 12 feet ; after being 

 pegged out, 13 feet 4 inches, and broad in proportion ! It 

 was curious afterwards, in comparing notes, to hear the 

 different accounts those present gave ; they remembered the 

 12 feet and 13 feet, but none remembered the 10 feet I inch ! 



On April 15, 1870, Jackson, Adjutant of the 43rd A.L.I., 

 and I started by boat and got to Bassah-ghat by 2 a.m. We 

 found our elephants there and reached Burpettah in time to 

 breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Campbell. The whole day was 

 devoted to repacking our things. We intended to go in light 

 marching order, as my time was limited. We were hurried 

 throughout our trip, and lost nearly all our wounded game, 

 which was retrieved, if I may say so, by native shikaries, who 

 hovered round us, and whilst keeping out of sight got most 

 of the game which had escaped us, sorely wounded. 



My comrade had seen a good deal of sport in Central 

 India ; he was a capital shot, an ardent sportsman, and right 

 good fellow ; but he had never had any experience of shoot- 

 ing off elephants. We generally took a couple of pad 

 elephants with our breakfast and to help to carry game, but 

 the others we sent on by native pathways. Sookur and his 

 uncle Seetaram also accompanied us. We went straight 

 across country to Baikee ; we saw deer and had a few shots, 

 but failed to bag, and we also saw numerous buffaloes that 

 we would not fire at. About half-way I shot a marsh deer 

 and Jackson a hog deer. Our attendant elephants were not 

 with us, so we had to quarter the deer and hang the pieces 

 to the sides and back of our howdahs. My stag had good 



