ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 163 



and deep ravines. Bradford, of the Madras Cavalry, started 

 with me to explore this country, and riding to Baie, eighteen 

 miles from Indore, on the Bombay road, we turned to the left, 

 and after some miles along a jungle track we arrived at 

 Kautcote, where our men had preceded us. The Maharajah 

 Holkar had kindly lent us two elephants, but they were 

 unsteady, and were driven by a couple of rascals who feared 

 to take them near a tiger. Next morning we moved into the 

 jungle, and encamped in a lovely spot by the banks of a river, 

 a few miles from Kautcote. In the jungle were many iron- 

 pits which had been worked in the olden day, but were now 

 buried in grass and bushes, and given over to wild beasts. 



We had not been long at our tents when one of our men 

 came in and reported he had taken the fresh track of a 

 tiger up to one of these pits, and was anxious that we should 

 at once go and drive him out. On arriving at the ground we 

 saw that the tiger had gone into some holes under a steep 

 bank, so making a circuit, we posted ourselves above, and 

 threw down stones. We had hoped that he would bolt out 

 in front, but he showed no sign till we were about to give 

 him up, when he suddenly appeared on our left, coming up 

 the bank. I at once fired, but he dashed on, and in an instant 

 was lost among the long grass. On examining the spot we 

 found drops of blood ; but it was not safe to follow him on 

 foot, for the grass was three and four feet high, and the trees 

 and bushes would not have allowed the passage of an elephant. 

 We were obliged to leave him and return to the tents. 



Next day was blank, and we moved camp farther into the 

 wilderness. On the way we came on some old marks of bison, 

 and had a chance at a herd of nylghae, but would not fire, as we 

 did not wish to disturb the country. As we approached a 

 ravine running down from some springs, we observed a very 



