ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 345 



which Evans was already seated in the howdah. Elephants 

 are usually mounted by small ladders hung on the side of the 

 pad, but as these are apt to get torn off by bushes, we gener- 

 ally mounted by the crupper, assisted by the elephant, who, 

 on a hint from the mahout, lowered his quarters, while he 

 stretched out his hind-leg for us to step upon. Unfortunately, 

 on this occasion, the forefeet of the elephant were on high 

 ground, and as he lowered his hind-quarter to allow me to 

 mount, the howdah was tilted back at such an angle as to 

 pitch over the rifles which lay on the seat. The Bashi 

 managed to retain two, but the third, an extra heavy double 

 rifle, went over, and falling from a height of about six feet, 

 struck me on the cheek and mouth, nearly driving my teeth 

 down my throat. I suffered greatly at the time, and feel the 

 effects of the blow to this day. 



We then moved north to the Mogra ravine, where the 

 tigers had been poisoned last year, and we found to our 

 regret that no others had taken their place. But we beat the 

 lower part of the ravine, and turned out a panther, which was 

 shot by Evans. Higher up we started a large bear. It came 

 out to Froom, who, possibly remembering our admonition re- 

 garding the tigers, missed it very creditably, and it went its 

 way. Crossing over the hills towards the Jeeree ravine, we 

 hunted some fine ground, but found nothing, and we then 

 began to fear, what was indeed the case viz., that we had 

 nearly cleared every tiger out of the country. 



In the Jeeree ravine, however, we found a panther, which 

 passed below me at a great pace, and went on to Evans, who 

 bowled it over with a fine shot. Lower down, in the same 

 nullah, we started another very large panther, which was also 

 shot by Evans. Being wounded, we went towards him, and 

 he made a somewhat vicious charge, when a final shot put an 



