VI 
THE TIGER 
201 
The elephants increased in excitement; some¬ 
times two or three twisted suddenly round, and 
broke the line. A halt was ordered, and although 
it was impossible to see beyond the animal on the 
immediate right and left, the order was given to 
dress into an exact line, and then to advance. 
In this manner, with continual halts to re-form, 
we continued our uncertain but irresistible advance. 
Suddenly we emerged upon a swampy piece of 
grass interspersed with clumps of tamarisk ; here 
there was intense excitement among the elephants, 
several turned tail and bolted in an opposite direc¬ 
tion ; when the cause was quickly discovered, by a 
large tiger passing exactly in front of me not 20 
yards distant, and showing himself most distinctly, 
giving me a lovely chance. 
The elephant we rode was a female named 
Sutchnimia, and she had been introduced to my 
notice as infallible, her character as usual being 
well supported by her mahout; but no sooner did 
this heroic beast descry the tiger, than she twisted 
herself into every possible contortion, throwing 
herself about in the most aimless attitudes, with a 
vigour that threatened the safety of the howdah 
and severely taxed the strength of the girth-ropes. 
The tiger (a fine male) suddenly stopped, and 
turned three-parts round, apparently amazed at the 
gesticulations of the elephant; and there the beast 
stood, exposing the shoulder to a most certain shot 
if the elephant would have kept decently quiet for 
only two seconds. The fact of the tiger having 
