ii8 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



tried a shot on the back, meaning to break his spine. 

 Evidently my shot struck one of his ribs, and 

 glanced off, making a deep wound in his stomach, 

 for we saw the blood gushing out as he galloped 

 off some fifty paces, and then turned and watched 

 us from behind a large tree. He had now had six 

 bullets at close range, and yet he appeared full of 

 life. After a time he went down on his fours, and, 

 with his head between his knees, kept watching us. 

 We now began to realise that we were " treed " by 

 the buffalo, and that we might be kept there all 

 day and all night until such time as the beast cared 

 to move off, unless we could make an end of him. 

 There was no use looking for relief from the camp, 

 as there was no one there to relieve us. The 

 elephant might make her way home, but the 

 mahout was as much a prisoner as we were, 

 and there was no one to bring her back even if 

 she did return, so we could expect no help from 

 that quarter. There was nothing for it therefore 

 but to sit it out, especially as I had but three 

 more cartridges left, and it would not do to blaze 

 those away and be left defenceless. One of the 

 other trackers thought the buffalo would go for 

 water at about noon, but Charun shook his head, 

 pointing first to the sun and then under his 

 feet, to show that it would be midnight before 

 our foe would give us a chance of escape. Here 

 was a cheerful look-out ! To be kept prisoners 

 on a tree till midnight, and it was not yet 

 noon ! We must try and draw our enemy and 

 get another chance of a close shot. Charun let 



