ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 283 



twenty-five feet high. Here and there were thick masses of 

 high green grass, which flourished in the moist sand. Con- 

 nected with the main stream were numerous small nullahs 

 wriggling down through the scrub-jungle on either side. No 

 suitable trees were near the spots where the tigers might be 

 expected to break. Bradford and I, therefore, arranged to 

 stand together, sending Ward to beat down the river towards 

 us on the elephant. It was not long before we heard the crack 

 of his rifle, and soon after a fine tigress came out two hundred 

 yards from us. Hoping that she would soon lie up, we re- 

 frained from firing, but she held on at a sharp trot, and though 

 some of our men went after her, they were unable to mark her 

 down. Meanwhile, Ward had done his work well. He had 

 slain a very large tiger which he found in the long grass in 

 the river-bed. On being wounded he at first attempted to get 

 away into the surrounding jungle, but failing in his attempt 

 to spring up the steep clay bank, he turned and charged 

 viciously. Ward, however, shot well, and dropped him as he 

 came on. He was a very old tiger, light in colour, and on his 

 grim and scarred visage he bore the traces of sundry conflicts 

 with his fellows. We proceeded to remove the howdah from 

 the elephant, and having sent it back to camp by some of the 

 beaters, we bound the carcass of the tiger on the pad. Had 

 we tied him on behind the howdah, the skin would probably 

 have been injured by the friction. These arrangements com- 

 pleted, we partook of refreshments, and then went off to look 

 after the bears, over which two of our men had been on sentry 

 since morning. We found them at the head of a small ravine, 

 which terminated in an open spot in the jungle. They were 

 quite concealed among the long grass, and did not rise till we 

 were close on them. The larger bear showed first, and came 

 out into the clear ground, where he was at once slain. The 



