462 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



horns ; they were still in velvet, but the horn had formed. We 

 separated, and Jackson shot a sambur, the first I had seen 

 in the plains in Assam, and also a nice young porker for the 

 table. We got to Balkee at 1 1 a.m. We put up in a small 

 shed, taking the precaution before going into it to knock 

 down all the sides. As there was a nice breeze blowing, we 

 were fairly comfortable after we had bathed and put on our 

 pyjama suits. After breakfast we had a snooze, and on 

 waking were told a tiger had just killed a cow within half-a- 

 mile of our abode, but we did not go after it till 5 p.m. We 

 then got all our elephants in a line, close together ; Jackson, 

 guarded the left flank and I the right. We had not advanced 

 300 yards when in front of us, nearer Jackson than to me, out 

 sprang a tiger, and ran along through the short grass. The 

 shot was a long and difficult one, but Jackson let fly ; the 

 tiger gave a roar and pulled up. I certainly thought he was 

 hit, and called out : " Well done, Jackson, a good shot ! " 

 With the exception of the patch of long grass in which the 

 tiger was, the country was open all round. We took up our 

 positions on each side of the bush, and the leading elephants,, 

 touching one another, advanced ; when within 60 yards the 

 tiger rushed towards them, uttering many a roar and growl, 

 but as not one of them moved, he came down upon me, open- 

 mouthed. I was on the elephant I had bought from Becher 

 the tea-planter ; she did not care two pins for a tiger, but the 

 sight of a pony nearly drove her mad with fright ! I allowed 

 him to come within 10 yards, when a shell in the chest killed 

 him, and he fell almost at the feet of my steed. I put another 

 ball into the neck to make sure, but there was no need for it, 

 for he was stone dead. On carefully examining him we 

 could find no other recent wound than my two ; he had an 

 old scar on his shoulder, the result of a shot from some native.. 

 He measured 9 feet 4 inches as he lay dead, and was in 

 height 2 feet 1 1 inches. 



April 1 8. W'e marched straight to Mina Muttee, getting 

 there at eleven. We had great difficulty as usual in getting 

 supplies, not because they were scarce, but because the 

 Mouzadars forbid the villagers to sell except through them. 

 They ought to have known me well by this time, as I had 



