26 THE TIGER. 



extending to about two hundred yards. Slowly and silently we beat for about a mile and a 

 half, our progress being considerably impeded by the very rough ground in which L. soon found 

 himself, the watercourse occasionally sub-dividing into several branches. As we approached 

 the river, the stream which we had been following widened considerably : we had come 

 along its right bank, and now crossing it at its junction with the river, we proceeded to beat 

 back along the left bank, all of us still occupying our original positions in the line. The 

 jungle now became much heavier, consisting of high forest trees, with an undergrowth of 

 various creepers, and that tall rank grass in which Tigers are so fond of lying. We had 

 proceeded about four hundred yards, when I heard an Elephant trumpet on the left of the line. 

 We had already found out that several of the Elephants were very nervous, and evidently not 

 to be depended upon, so I did not think much of the circumstance.- Directly afterwards, 

 however, I heard a shot, and a large Tiger came galloping down the rear of .the line, till he 

 came behind my Elephant, when he pulled up and stood gazing at me within thirty yards. I 

 got a beautiful shot at his chest with my Express rifle, and he dropped on the spot, appar- 

 ently dead. I had not much time to see, however, for my Elephant, apparently realising for 

 the first time what was going on, took to flight, and I was fully occupied in endeavouring to 

 avoid. the branches of trees against which I was in danger of being dashed. The Mahout 

 succeeded in stopping him before he had gone very far, but nothing would induce him to 

 move a step in the direction of the fallen Tiger. I therefore shouted to the other Mahouts 

 to bring up a female Elephant on each side of me, so as to give my Elephant confidence : 

 not a man would move. There they sat motionless on their Elephants, pretending either 

 not to hear or not to understand me. In vain I endeavoured to have my Elephant driven up 

 to them — it was in the direction of the Tiger, and not a step would he stir, except away from 

 the foe. In vain did I exhaust my stock of Hindustani invective, and make use of every 

 threat that I either could or could not have carried into execution : the whole lot of Mahouts 

 and Elephants were utterly demoralised, and it seemed hopeless trying to get them under 

 command again. 



At last S. and L. who were on the only two tolerably staunch Elephants, came along the 

 line, and by dint of more strong language, and the advantage of being able to get within 

 reach of the Mahouts, they managed to bring some pad Elephants to my assistance. I told 

 them that I had knocked the Tiger over, and believed that he was dead. S. then said 

 that he had hit him hard with his first shot, the beast having been roused in front of L.'s 

 Elephant, and gone right down the line. We now contrived to get a few Elephants together, 

 and force them up to the spot where the Tiger had fallen : here we found a great quantity of 

 blood, and a bloody trail leading away from the place. Following this for a short distance 

 we found that we were " hunting heel," the blood being that from the Tiger's first wound. 

 Retracing our steps, we soon took up the proper track, and in two or three hundred yards 

 came to a wet nullah filled with immense masses of a thick creeper, and long rank grass. I 

 forced my Elephant through this without rousing the Tiger, but as there was no sign of his 

 having- gone out at the other side, S. went through it again. His Elephant soon showed signs 

 of uneasiness, but he went ahead pluckily enough, and presently the Tiger bounded out 



