IV 
THE ELEPHANT 
139 
ously looking at the enemy as though he expected it 
would show signs of life. 
This did not look promising for an encounter 
with a live tiger, as it would have been absolutely 
impossible to shoot from that elephant s back. 
A short time after this occurrence, when upon 
my usual reconnaissance through the jungles in the 
neighbourhood of the camp, I came upon the fresh 
tracks of a large tiger close to the banks of the 
Bearmi river, and I gave the necessary instructions 
that a buffalo should be tied up as a bait that same 
evening. 
Early on the following morning the news was 
brought by the shikaris that the buffalo had been 
killed, and dragged into a neighbouring ravine. As 
the river was close by, there could be no doubt that 
the tiger would have drunk water after feasting on 
the carcase, and would be lying asleep somewhere in 
the immediate neighbourhood. 
The mucharns (platforms in trees) had already 
been prepared in positions where the tiger was 
expected to pass when driven, as he would make 
for the forest-covered hills which rose within half a 
mile of the river. 
The spot was within twenty minutes of the camp ; 
the elephants were both ready, with simple pads, as 
the howdah was ill-adapted for a forest; and we 
quickly started. 
Three mucharns had been prepared; these were 
about 100 yards apart in a direct line which 
guarded a narrow glade between the jungle upon 
