486 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



get to close quarters indeed before you can use one effectively. 

 1 was useless, having no weapon, and W. tried to rush in 

 several times, but he got a whack across the shins which 

 made him roar again, and I much doubt whether the victory 

 would have been ours had not the pig rushed through a bush 

 and got rid of the spear sticking upright in her. W. then 

 went up alongside and finished the melee. Luckily my shaft 

 was not broken, nor even sprung. The male bamboo used 

 for these spears is stouter, shorter, and tougher, with closer 

 joints than those used in the longer weapons. We had our 

 rifles with us, for there was no knowing what animal we might 

 come across. 



We then shifted our position, and I mounted my grey, 

 Elgin, who was only 13 hands high, but a very high caste, 

 swift, though headstrong pony. We shifted our ground 

 closer towards the base of the Garrow hills. The ground 

 was not nearly so favourable for pig-sticking there, as there 

 was a quantity of long grass standing. A few pigs broke 

 back through the advancing line of elephants, and then the 

 animals commenced to trumpet and to strike the tips of their 

 trunks on the ground unmistakable signs to the initiated. 



" A tiger ! " cried my friend. 



We dismounted, seized our rifles, sent the steeds further 

 back, and took up our positions on a couple of ant-hills, not 

 far apart. I saw-W. turn round to his left and let fly both 

 barrels. A loud series of roars proclaimed that a royal tiger 

 had been hit. 



I ran up just in time to see as wicked a head as it is 

 possible to conceive, not above a yard from my comrade, who 

 was ramming in a couple of cartridges, the man with his 

 extra weapon having vanished. I got a clear shot at the 

 chest ; the ball, a solid conical, went right through her from 

 end to end, but she required another shot from me and one 

 from W. before she for it was a tigress gave up the ghost. 



But some of the men, pointing at right angles towards the 

 river, called out : " Soor ! Soor ! " So getting astride our 

 steeds, off we galloped, spear in hand. I have before said 

 there was a good deal of unburnt grass about. Elgin, always 

 eager and rather hard of mouth, seeing the mare ahead, took 



