VI 
THE TIGER 
207 
departure of Suchi Khan, when I pushed on to 
Rohumari and met Mr. G. P. Sanderson, April i, 
1885. He had brought with him the entire force 
of elephants from the Garo Hills, the season for 
capturing wild elephants having just expired. 
Many of his men were suffering from fever, and he 
himself evidently had the poison of malaria in his 
system. 
A bullock had been tied up the preceding evening 
within three-quarters of a mile from our camp, and 
on the morning of April i this was reported to have 
been killed. We accordingly sallied out, and in a few 
minutes we found the remains, above which the 
vultures were soaring in large numbers. The high 
grass had been partially burnt, and large patches 
remained at irregular distances where the fire had 
not penetrated, or where the herbage had been too 
green to ignite; however, all was as dry as tinder 
at this season, and having formed the elephants in 
line, I took up a position with my elephant about 
300 yards ahead. 
The elephants came on in excellent formation, as 
Mr. Sanderson was himself with them in command ; 
presently I saw a long tail thrown up from among 
the yellow grass, and quickly after I distinguished 
a leopard moving rapidly along in my direction. 
For a few minutes I lost sight of it, but I felt sure 
it had not turned to the right or left, and, as a 
clump of more than ordinary thick grass stood 
before me, I concluded that the animal had prob¬ 
ably sought concealment in such impervious covert. 
