20 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



declared that he heard the tiger growling, but I 

 urged him to proceed, and we advanced a few 

 paces farther. Then there was a roar, and the 

 elephant swung round and bolted. I have never 

 seen an elephant travel as she did on that occasion, 

 and the mahout said afterwards that she had 

 actually twisted his neck by the rapidity with 

 which she swung round. It was, however, a 

 case of " eyes front," and I stood waiting for the 

 attack. Fortunately for me, the tiger did not 

 charge, but retreated, attempting to escape. 



The demonstration caused a general stampede, 

 but after some time my attendants were reassured 

 and returned. Mihtab Khan had, as he explained, 

 laid hold of the shikari as he was retreating, but 

 the shikari said that he had recently married a 

 wife, and was therefore obliged to take care of 

 himself. 



A protracted reconnaissance made from trees 

 disclosed the fact that the tiger had gone, and in 

 the bamboo clump, in which he was lying, there 

 was a great pool of blood. The wounds had not 

 bled until he lay down on the ground. This 

 encouraged us all, and we started in pursuit, 

 tracking the tiger by the blood which was now 

 flowing. We followed him for a considerable 

 distance into the open country, and there in a 

 clump of bushes at the foot of a tree he lay up 

 again. The Uriyas, as Indians often do, passed 

 from panic to over-confidence, and I had the 

 greatest difficulty in keeping them behind me. 

 I had placed Mihtab Khan on the elephant, 

 which followed along behind us, to give confidence 

 to the mahout ; and from the elephant Mihtab 



