160 CLOSE OF A TIGER-HUNT. 



and the howdah is on a level with the charging- tiger. On 

 comes the beast with a spring from the bank, just missing 

 the back rail of the howdah, and falling with a splash into 

 the shallow water in the nullah. The Goorkha in tlie 

 kawas behind me scrambles over into my part of the 

 howdah, to the side-rail of which the mahout is already 

 clinging, he having jumped up from the elephant's neck at 

 the first sign of danger. Altogether there is such a general 

 scrimmage, and my hands are so fully employed in holding 

 on to the howdah-rails, that it is impossible to handle a rifle 

 ere the baffled tiger has slunk off and disappeared along 

 the bottom of the nullah. 



The bold behaviour of this animal was, under the circum- 

 stances, decidedly unusual ; for an unwounded tiger, when 

 disturbed, generally tries to steal off, if possible, unobserved, 

 and seldom attacks a human being unless provoked. Even 

 man-eaters, of which the proportion is fortunately very 

 small, resort to the most cunning and sneaking methods 

 for securing their victims. A female, with cubs, however, is 

 often an exception to this rule, and such our friend might have 

 been, though in this instance we failed to find her offspring. 



A general hattuc next day brought this short hunting- 

 trip in the Dehra Doon to a close. Although not so suc- 

 cessful a one as regards the actual slaying of tigers as 

 otliers I might have told of, it is perhaps better calculated 

 to afford a fair idea of the general sport that was then to 

 be had in that locality, and also to show what chance work 

 it is finding these cunning and wary brutes in such heavy 

 jungles, unless certain intelligence of their whereabouts 

 near a fresh " kill " has first been obtained. Moreover, my 

 experiences of tiger-shooting are comparatively few, and in 

 thrilling adventure they fall so far short of those which 

 have oftentimes been graphically recounted by more practised 

 hands at this noble sport, that any further narration of 

 them would only be superfluous in a book which is more 

 intended for describing mountain work. 



