Jungle By- Ways in India 



I had never been present at, but had often read 

 and also heard of authentic cases of, a herd closing 

 up en masse to get rid of the too pressing attentions 

 of a tiger ; but I was unaware of the existence of 

 a herd sporting enough to close up to charge a 

 man. The position and sight, although of the 

 nature to set the blood dancing through one's 

 veins at the double, was too serious and urgent 

 for more than the most hasty study and re- 

 flection on points of natural history, especially 

 as there appeared every likelihood of the notes 

 never being recorded for the benefit of sportsmen. 

 The herd did not care about natural history ; but 

 it evidently did care, and care very much, about its 

 breakfast, and intended to dispute the possession 

 of that, to it, luscious, steamy bog-clearing. The 

 distance between us had already perceptibly 

 diminished, for they had not stopped their for- 

 ward movement ; but with loud snortings ' had 

 edged closer and closer in their endeavour to see 

 exactly what the danger was before the leader 

 sounded the charge. Matters had now, therefore, 

 become more exciting than pleasant. Our only 

 chance was to turn them, but even at this juncture 

 I made one more last effort to pick out the big 

 bull (and Anacondu, I learnt afterwards, had tried 

 to do the same) ; but in that sea of tossing horns 

 it was impossible, and so, as there was little time 

 to waste, I picked out what I hoped would be a 

 buU ^nd let drive at it. There was a waver, I 



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