THE VENGEANCE OF THE WILD 257 



the spot is little less than miraculous. It is 

 well known that elephants often seek to avenge 

 their dead. Major F. G. Talbot tells me that, 

 having on one occasion shot an elephant, he 

 was serenaded all that night by several others 

 which had assembled for the purpose outside 

 the dak bungalow in which he was sleeping. 

 A somewhat similar story was published in The 

 Field. It seems that a bull elephant had 

 been shot and cut up, and its remains were 

 taken on a cart to a neighbouring rest-house. 

 Its mate followed up the trail, broke the cart to 

 pieces, and threw the remains in the road in 

 front of the gate. 



The tiger has also claimed many victims, yet 

 in less number than the lion and the elephant. 

 Of natives it kills more than are ever counted, but 

 natives run peculiar risks with which Europeans 

 need not reckon. Among Europeans killed by 

 tigers mention may be made of Lieutenant 

 Grant, Mr. Lewis Gordon, and Captain Sexton, 

 and I heard of another case during the present 

 year. The list of those who have been terribly 

 mauled by these animals is a much longer one, 

 the best-known case being that of the late 

 Colonel Sir E. Bradford. In these encounters, 

 it must be admitted, the sportsman's reckless 

 disregard of danger is often the tiger's best 

 ally. I have to thank Major Murray for the 

 following story of how, as a case in point, an 



