224 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
bed up a steep incline. By this route we ascended, 
and formed the elephants into line upon our left. 
The hollow in which my elephant remained ran 
parallel with the line of march, and about 5 feet 
below. Just as the elephants moved forward, my 
servant, who was behind me in the howdah, 
exclaimed, “Tiger, master, tiger!” and pointed to 
the left in the high grass a few yards in front of the 
line of elephants. 
I could see nothing; neither could my man, but 
he explained that for an instant only he had caught 
sight of a long furry tail which he was sure belonged 
to either a tiger or a leopard. I could always 
depend upon Michael, therefore I at once halted the 
line, with the intention of pushing my elephant ahead 
until I should discover some tolerably clear space 
among the high grass, in which I could wait for the 
advance of the beating line. 
At about a quarter of a mile distant there was 
a spot where the grass had been fired while only 
half-ripened, and although the bottom was burnt, 
the stems were only scorched, and of that mingled 
colour, black and yellow, which matches so closely 
with the striped hide of a tiger. There was 
no better position to be found ; I therefore halted, 
and gave the preconcerted signal for a forward 
movement. 
The line of elephants advanced. I was riding 
the large tusker Thompson, who became much 
agitated as a succession of wild pigs rushed forward 
upon several occasions, and one lot took to water, 
