HUNTING THE TIGER WITH ELEPHANTS. 237 



had made our notable qualities. It was arranged that we 

 should start the next morning that all three elephants 

 should be equipped for carrying parties of hunters ; and 

 that Mr. Barrill and I should be mounted on the same 

 animal put forward for the attack. In the course of the 

 evening, our spirrits were considerably elevated by the 

 intelligence that a servant comunicated to our host that 

 a cow had been carried off by a lion or a tiger most 

 probably the latter, but a few nights before. 



The next morning we were awake with the day. The 

 breakfast was hurried through as a matter of little impor- 

 tance, and we went out in company with the Parsee pro- 

 prietor, we found that all three elephants were capari- 

 soned for service. Almost at the same moment, one of 

 the proprietor's servants came to him with an extremely 

 doleful countenance and announced that another cow was 

 missing and the tracks of a tiger were unmistakeable. Such 

 news as this caused the proprietor to be more eager than ever 

 set out on the hunt. He was not a passionate man 

 although a fire worshipper ; but I could see that there 

 was a flush upon his countenance which spoke of the keenest 

 desire for vengeance. 



The mahouts took their places. They were provided 

 with long spears which they could use both for beating up 

 the jungle and for defending themselves against the 

 assault of the tiger. In the howdah on the bull elephant, 



19* 



