ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 15 



his fences when ridden by a bad and nervous rider ; and the 

 least hesitation or retrograde movement on the part of the 

 elephant at a critical moment may spoil or lose a shot, and 

 perhaps enable a vicious tiger to get in and make good his 

 charge. 



The elephant is generally required to drive a tiger out of 

 cypress, long grass, or scrub jungle ; but the great advantage 

 of having him with the party is that, on a tiger being wounded, 

 he can be followed up at once. It is madness to follow on 

 foot a wounded tiger into long grass or dense bush, and I 

 have known many fatal accidents from such rashness. I 

 well know that it is hard to leave a bloody track, but without 

 an elephant, no tiger ought to be followed into such ground 

 as I have described. They may sometimes be followed up 

 successfully, if the mass of hunters and beaters will keep 

 together, but no reliance can be placed on such a scratch 

 pack ; and I have seen a crowd of beaters start and scatter in 

 a moment at the mere growl of an angry tiger. With an 

 elephant there is no danger to speak of. The wounded tiger 

 can be almost always followed and brought to bag, unless he 

 has managed to escape into some cave or mass of rocks. 



In many places the elephant may not be required at first, 

 or till the tiger is wounded. The covert may be surrounded 

 by trees, and no better "coign of vantage" can be found. 

 The experienced hunter will at once detect a good seat on 

 some branch for himself and gunbearer. 



If the party consists of two or three guns, straws may be 

 drawn for places. This is a good plan ; it prevents all dis- 

 cussions as to who gets the best chance of the shot. When 

 the elephant is required, the choice of tree or howdah can 

 similarly be determined by straws. 



Should guns not be available to command all the passes, 



