A LUDICROUS INCIDENT. 211 



half feet .high, while I had ridden out on horseback. Thus 

 being sufficiently provided with bullets to face the enemy, 

 and having an elephant, though but a little one, to beat with, 

 we followed the two men across the fields somewhat regret- 

 fully, since we abandoned the certaint} r of a good bag of snipe, 

 for the chance of finding the panther, or peradventure dis- 

 covering our informant's " bagh " to be only a civet or some 

 other cat. 



We were taken to a moderate-sized pond on the out- 

 skirts of a village, buried in the midst of palms, bananas, 

 mangoes, and other trees. On three sides the pond (or tank, 

 according to Anglo-Indian phraseology), was quite clear of 

 jungle, excepting a little thatching-grass, which grew thinly 

 in patches here and there upon the raised banks ; but on the 

 fourth, or south side, there was some covert consisting of 

 bushes and mimosas, by no means dense. Foot-prints there 

 were none, and the covert looked light even for a prowling 

 panther. However, as our guides positively affirmed that they 

 had seen the panther enter it, we felt bound to beat it out. 



I took up a position at the south-east angle, while R., 

 mounting the young elephant, beat up towards me, but 

 nothing was seen. Therefore changing my position to the 

 south-west corner of the tank, R. beat again with the same 

 result ; whereupon resigning all expectation of sport that 

 afternoon, we sat down to refresh ourselves on the eastern 

 bank, at a spot where it was clean, free from tall grass, and 

 sloped smoothly down to the water's edge. 



Cheroot in mouth I was lying at full length watching 

 R,'s play with the elephant which was standing in some grass, 

 at the south-east corner where I had posted myself, gun in 

 hand, half an hour before, during the first beat. Now R. was 

 (and I am glad to be able to add, still is) a light-hearted frolic- 

 some party, and must needs try to frighten the elephant by 

 making charges at her on all fours, growling most savagely. 

 Failing to excite the alarm he anticipated, R. now changed 

 his tactics, and moved backwards upon her with his head be- 

 tween his legs, uttering terrific roars very unlike those of any 



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