EARLY DAYS IN OUDH 27 
followed by the triumphant tiger. Yet before the 
angry brute could make good his hold the elephant 
took charge of the affray, and, turning with a snort, 
he rushed upon his pursuer, who in turn retreated 
as fast as he couldrun. The tide of battle was now 
in our favour, but just as the victory was within 
reach the howdah struck the horizontal branch of a 
tree, and was flattened on the elephant’s back; and 
seizing this bough as we passed beneath, I speedily 
ascended to a more convenient elevation. 
The scene was somewhat comical. At a short 
distance the tiger, once more invisible, was growling 
fiercely, and the elephant, surmounted by a heap of 
broken wood and twisted iron, from which protruded 
the head of my orderly, was shamefacedly listening 
to the abuse of his driver, while turbans and pieces 
of guns bestrewed the ground. It took some time 
to remove the ruin of the howdah, and longer to 
bring back the elephant, still excited from the fight, 
and to induce him to hand up the property lying 
about ; then, as he came under my perch, I gladly 
leapt on his back, and we left for camp, having saved 
our lives and our baggage, but gained no glory. 
The lesson learnt was, however, worth the risk—in 
the first place, to have no standing backsight on a 
weapon used for quick shooting at short range; and, 
secondly, to distrust the elephant as a platform from 
whence accurate shooting can be assured. 
I have nothing but praise for the elephant after 
my long, intimate connection with the animal. He is 
intelligent to a degree, and therefure all the more 
dangerous when viciously inclined ; he is clever and 
courageous ; and, what is most endearing, he will do 
