238 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



another rifle, and we were cautiously advancing, when the 

 enraged brute rushed to meet us. He was within twenty- 

 paces before we saw him, and was evidently inclined to do 

 mischief, but again we opened fire and dropped him. He rose, 

 however, in an instant, and again came on, roaring wickedly ; 

 but, apparently not caring to close with the elephants, he 

 dashed through our line and went back up the nullah. 



We quickly reloaded, and followed him up, carefully ex- 

 amining every bush and tuft of grass. In this manner we 

 had advanced to the very head of the nullah, which terminated 

 in a large green corinda bush. The tiger made no sign, and 

 we began to fear that he might have slunk away to the right 

 or left, but, determined to make sure, I directed my mahout 

 to take me up to the corinda bush. The head of the elephant 

 had almost touched the foliage, when the tiger, now mad with 

 rage, sprang at him, seizing him by the root of the trunk in 

 his teeth, while he buried his claws in the sides of his face. 

 With a frantic shriek the elephant dropped his head, and 

 endeavoured to pin the tiger to the ground with his tusks. 

 It was a moment of intense excitement, and I was seriously 

 alarmed for the mahout, who, seated on the neck of the 

 elephant, was in great danger of being thrown down between 

 the struggling brutes. My own situation too was by no 

 means pleasant, for I was thrown forward in the howdah, and 

 I dreaded lest the girths should give way. However, the 

 " graith " was good, and I kept my position, and as the ele- 

 phant with a desperate effort shook off the tiger, I found I had 

 retained my three guns uninjured. 



The tiger made off down the nullah before I could again 

 fire, and it was some time before the elephant, who continued 

 to dance and shriek with rage, could be sufficiently quieted 

 to enable us to follow after him. Throughout the struggle, 



