2I6 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
rather smaller area of wild rose about f mile distant, 
and it was highly probable that should the tiger be 
disturbed, it might slink away, break covert at the 
extreme end, and make off across the open grass¬ 
land to the neighbouring shelter. I therefore 
posted myself outside the jungle in a kind of bay, 
where I considered the tiger would emerge from his 
secure hiding-place before he should risk a gallop 
across the open. 
I threw out scouts as usual, and I sent the line of 
elephants round, to drive the jungle towards me from 
the opposite extremity. 
A certain time elapsed, and at length I perceived 
the approach, in splendid line, each elephant as 
nearly as possible equidistant from its neighbour. 
They marched forward in regular array until 
within a couple of hundred yards of my position; then 
suddenly I heard a trumpet, trunks were thrown up 
in the air, the line wavered, and a succession of 
well-known sounds showed that a tiger was before 
them. The mahouts steadied their animals, brought 
them again into a correct line, and the advance 
continued. 
I was riding a large male elephant named 
Thompson ; this was a fine animal with formidable 
tusks, but he was most unsteady. Already he was 
swaying to and fro with high excitement, as he 
knew full well by the trumpets and sounds of the 
other elephants that a tiger was not far distant. 
Presently I saw the jungle shake, and a hog- 
deer dashed out within a few yards of me ; the 
